Well-known Rattray St food bar and restaurant, the Tai Ping, has been extensively damaged by fire.
Smoke from the central Dunedin blaze, which was reported about 9.24pm, was so thick it set off smoke alarms in about six other buildings, some as far away as Moray Pl.
Fire appliances had to be called in from Ravensbourne and Port Chalmers to help clear those buildings, while crews from three appliances and a turntable ladder truck put out the fire.
Tai Ping owner Henry Chin said his wife was at the back of the premises, preparing food, when the fryer at the front of the shop overheated and caught fire.
''She didn't realise until it caught hold.''
If there had been customers in the shop it would have been caught before it got to that stage, he said.
He had gone home to pick up their children for tea.
''There's no tea for the kids.''
They had been operating the business out of the family-owned building for ''40-odd years'', he said.
He was not sure what he would do now: ''Take a break?''
Senior Fire Officer Bob Calder said the fire spread from the takeaway shop through to the adjoining restaurant, but had not spread to the buildings on either side.
The building was extensively damaged.
The fire took time to put out due to several ceilings in the property and there were also difficulties isolating the power supply to the building, he said.
The fire was not suspicious, but a fire safety investigator would be visiting the site.
Lower Rattray St was closed during the incident and firefighters were still at the scene dispersing fumes at 11pm. The damage to the Tai Ping follows the closure of another other Rattray St institution, the Dragon Cafe, in 2011 after part of its roof caved in.
