Several crews were called to a fire at a chip shop in Perth on Monday after locals heard a “big bang” before smoke was seen pouring from the takeaway.
Police, firefighters and paramedics were called to Blue Lagoon on High Street.
Residents in the flats above were also evacuated.
No one was hurt in the fire.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We got a call from the owners of the property at 9.50am.
“They reported that the alarms in the shop had gone off and they said they could smell smoke.
“We can confirm there was a fire in the building.
“We sent four appliances and a height unit from Perth.”
A stop message came in just before 12.30pm.
Blue Lagoon fire: Residents evacuated
One resident of a flat in the building said: “I don’t know what started it but we smelled the smoke and evacuated.
“We then saw the fire engines. The police were really quick and got everyone out of their flats, and were knocking on doors.
“We were just exiting the flat when the police came.
“It was a little smoke to start with but when we evacuated there was a lot in the stairwell. We’re a little shaken up.”
A passer-by said: “I got to the top of High Street and saw smoke billowing out of Blue Lagoon.
“The chipper is filled with smoke and all the surrounding streets are closed.
“There is a strong smell of smoke in the area.”
‘I heard a big explosion’
Another onlooker said: “I heard a big explosion in the chippy and it went into flames.
“I was just outside and heard a big bang and everyone came running out.”
One other witness said: “I was just in the bank and I came up here and saw the lights.
“I thought it was police but saw the engines and smoke.
“You could see the lights when I got here inside but it’s really filled up a lot now.
“The firefighters got here really quick and are dealing with it. It’s not good, though.”
Police confirmed High Street and Scott Street were closed while the fire was put out, and urged people to avoid the area, but both have since reopened.
The owners of Blue Lagoon confirmed they’d suffered a small fire due to an electrical issue.
They confirmed no staff were hurt as they praised the local fire service for their prompt action.
The Blue Lagoon will open as normal to the public from 10am on Tuesday.
Fire crews remove loose slate in separate incident
Elsewhere in Perth, Atholl Street was shut for a short time between Rose Terrace and Melville Street due to a loose slate on a roof.
Traffic was diverted while firefighters removed the dangerous slate, causing tailbacks on Rose Terrace.
The road is now back open.
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