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A fire yesterday at a fast food restaurant in Chester caused panic among customers and brought the city centre to a virtual standstill during the lunchtime rush.
The fire at a branch of McDonalds started at around 12.30 pm while hot work was being carried out to the roof of the building. The fire spread quickly through ducting causing smoke to pour in through air vents into the interior of the restaurant. Smoke could also be seen billowing from the back of the building across the city.
Five fire engines and an aerial appliance were used to tackle the blaze, while a plane with thermal imaging equipment flew overhead. At one stage, firefighters had to cut away ducting on the roof to check for any smouldering remains. Along with McDonalds, shops including Woolworths, HMV and Boots were evacuated and the lower half of the high street was cordoned off.