Major routes through Ipswich are starting to get back to normal after fire crews were called to a fire in a restaurant in St Helen’s Street.
The fire broke out at Chennai Dosa, just past the junction with Bond Street, along from the abandoned County Hall.
Five crews - two from Ipswich East, two from Princes Street and one from Holbrook - were at the scene of the blaze, which started at around midday today.
Police were also called and closed Bond Street down to the junction with Eagle Street, where it becomes Waterworks Street.
One witness who was in a neighbouring business at the time said: “My manager said I think someone is cooking.
“A few minutes later she came running down the stairs saying there is a fire.
“When we got outside we saw that it was coming from another building.”
He said that staff from the building would most likely have to begin working from home once again when they got back to work next week.
Station Commander Aeeneas Postlethwaite from Suffolk Fire and Rescue said: “There was a small fire in the building and it has been heavily smoke damaged.”
Mr Postlethwaite said that smoke had also affected up to four of the neighbouring buildings, close to the restaurant.
“Breathing apparatus crews cleared the smoke,” said he said.
“No-one was hurt and everyone got out. Owners are now being allowed to go back into the buildings.”
Mr Postlethwaite said that it wasn’t clear at this stage what had caused the fire in the building and said that fire investigation teams would be arriving at the scene.
He said that one fire crew would remain on site to dampen down.
Police reopened the roads shortly after 2pm.
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