Fire breaks out in Maryland Chicken fast food outlet

I was caught up in a bit of drama yesterday afternoon while walking into town shopping with a friend.

Opposite the Victoria Centre three fire crews were called to Maryland Chicken in Lower Parliament Street at about 1.57pm after a blaze broke out in a fat fryer. The shop manager was taken to hospital with minor burns and smoke inhalation.

As I passed the shop was half full of smoke and firemen with breathing apparatus were entering the building.

Looking up white smoke was coming from the roof of the building with the occasional puff of thick black smoke.

A Nott's Fire and Rescue spokeswoman said the incident was soon brought under control and was being treated as accidental but an investigation is on-going.

Fire-fighters used breathing equipment to search the upper floors of the building to check no-one else was inside.

Police closed the road to traffic travelling towards the City for the duration of incident.

By Richard Pearson