Six fire fighters donned breathing sets and others wore dust masks in efforts to extinguish a blaze in the Thai Cafe in Stornoway on Sunday.
The interior of the single storey property was ruined in the fire.
An issue with a tumble dryer may have caused the incident it is believed.
The alarm was raised around 4pm by officers in the police station directly across the road on Church Street
A plume of smoke from the premises could be seen rising aloft from some distance away from the town.
Four fire tenders attended - two crews from Stornoway, one from Shawbost and the
fourth from Port of Ness.
A water jet was deployed on the flames with fire-fighters also using two main hoses,
extinguishing the blaze and preventing the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings.
Most of Church Street was closed to traffic and a water supply obtained from a hydrant by the TA Drill Hall with hoses running down the road to the premises.
A number of fire personnel donned breathing apparatus before entering the toxic smoke-filled
building as the hazardous operation developed.
Scottish Gas Networks (SGN) staff attended to switch off the gas supply.
Later, a thermal imaging camera was used to highlight hotspots and hidden high heat areas.
Parts of the street began to reopen at 7.30pm though the Thai Cafe section of road remained closed for longer while one fire crew remained at the scene until after 10pm.
They returned later to check for any flare-ups, leaving the scene by 1am this morning.
In a social media post to customers, Panida Macdonald, one of the owners of the Thai Cafe, thanked people for messages of support.
“We don’t know the situation at the restaurant yet and are waiting for it to be assessed.
“The main thing is that no one was hurt. We are so grateful to the emergency services for their swift response and hard work.
She added: “We will be closed for the time being, and will update you all when we know more.”
Stornoway’s Thai Cafe ruined following blaze
16 September 2024
