Hundreds of people were evacuated out of the Grand Hyatt earlier this afternoon after a blaze broke out in the hotel’s restaurant on the second floor.
As early as 11:30am, folks in the Orchard Road area in the vicinity of the hotel saw smoke billowing out from the building, prompting Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) fire engines and at least one ambulance to be deployed there. Firefighters went ahead to set up hoses from the fire hydrants along Scotts Road.
But the fire had already been extinguished by water sprinklers before the firefighters arrived. The blaze involved a kitchen stove and a kitchen exhaust ducting of a restaurant, and according to the SCDF, still required cooling by way of two water jets to prevent any potential rekindling of fire.
Hotel guests who were evacuated told Channel NewsAsia that the restaurant affected was Mezza9, the 5-star joint that offers grand buffet options. They were only allowed back into the hotel about 12:50pm.
