THAI food can be a spicy affair, but patrons of a tomyam restaurant in Sungai Ara apparently were in for a fiery surprise on Monday (Aug 25) night.
Several diners at the restaurant were reported to have run helter-skelter after noticing smoke rising from the upper floor of the two-storey premises.
Did such an incident happen in Penang?
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Penang Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (firefighting and rescue operations) John Sagun Francis confirmed the incident, saying that firement rushed to the scene upon receiving a distress call at 9.32pm Monday.
It is understood that three tables of customers had abandoned their meals and fled the scene upon noticing smoke rising from the two-storey premises in Kampung Tersusun, Jalan Sungai Ara.
"The fire was brought under control at 9.56pm and was prevented from spreading to nearby buildings. The building, classified as a Class B shophouse, suffered about 50% damage from the fire," Francis said.
He added that no victims were reported when the fire broke out while the restaurant was in operation.

