Firefighters tackled a restaurant blaze in Colchester city centre which started from a deep fat fryer.
Four fire crews were called to Trinity Street at 9.16pm yesterday to reports of a kitchen fire in a restaurant.
All staff and customers evacuated before firefighters arrived, who praised them for their quick actions.
The fire started when oil in a deep fat fryer caught alight in the kitchen.
Crews from Colchester, Tiptree and Clacton worked quickly to get the fire under control and were able to prevent it spreading further throughout the restaurant.
The cause of the fire has been recorded as accidental.
An Essex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "If you own a business, please ensure your fire safety measures and fire risk assessments are up to date and sufficient. Find more information on our website: esssex-fire.gov.uk//business."
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