Fire rips through Pyrmont cafe

BY ROJE ADAIMY

For almost three hours, a thick plume of black smoke poured out of the windows of a popular Pyrmont cafe after a fire broke out in its kitchen last Friday afternoon.
Several fire crews were on the scene at Union Street, trying to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to the hairdressing salon above the cafe, which contained a number of hazardous chemicals.
Two special Hazmat units were also on-site.
Police told hundreds of bystanders to move as far away as possible, with concerns that the smoke could be toxic.
Early reports suggest that the stove in Dolce Vita cafe’s kitchen exploded.
A NSW Fire Brigades spokesperson has told media that the fire was under control by 3:40pm, but continued to burn in the roof cavity between the ground and second floor of the building well after.
Buildings adjacent to the cafe in Union Square were all evacuated, but for nearby Star City it was business as usual.