Fifty diners have been evacuated from popular St Kilda restaurant Donovans after fire broke out on Sunday evening.
The fire reportedly broke out at the Jacka Boulevard restaurant at 7pm Sunday.
It is understood a pedestrian spotted smoke coming out the restaurant’s roof and alerted staff, who evacuated diners within minutes.
Firefighters used axes to break through roof tiling to get to the flames.
A Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokesman said the fire is believed to have started in the roof above the restaurant’s kitchen.
At least seven trucks were called in to battle the blaze. Firefighters managed to contain the fire at about 7.54pm Sunday.
Initial reports suggest the fire has caused significant damage to the restaurant’s roof.
It comes after nearby St Kilda restaurant Stokehouse was burnt down in January this year.
Donovans is located on the site of one of three original bathing houses built on the St Kilda foreshore in the 1920s.
The bathing house was refurbished and opened as a restaurant in 1986. Ambulance Victoria spokesman Ray Rowe said no-one had received medical treatment, but ambulance crews would remain on site until fire fighters departed.
Donovans on fire @cityportphillip @StKildaMelb @FitzroyStKilda @abcnewsMelb @9NewsMelb @7NewsMelbourne pic.twitter.com/X4ZKVNdYjm
— Serge Thomann (@SergeThomann) August 24, 2014
