Pancake Kitchen has confirmed it will reopen for business about 3pm today.

Owner Vince Lutjohn said due to the modern way firefighters extinguished the blaze with steam rather than water, the building had suffered no damage.

Staff have now cleaned the kitchen, thrown away existing food and refreshed the restaurant’s smell, meaning it was now ready to be reopened to patrons.

He commended his staff for calmly evacuating patrons during this morning’s emergency.

EARLIER:

Firefighters have controlled a dramatic fire at Ballarat’s Pancake Kitchen.

The blaze, believed to have started in the chimney of the building, broke out about 10.30am.

More than 30 people from the Pancake Kitchen and the adjoining Academy of Classical Ballet were evacuated. 

There were at least six fire trucks on scene, with firefighters tackling the blaze from above in a crane.

Senior Station Officer Steve Poulter said there was an open fireplace inside the building, with the chimney zig-zagging throughout.

He said the fire started in the chimney from a build-up of soot.

“We got up on the top to create steam,” he said.

“We dropped water in it and that extinguishes the fire, rather than pouring gallons of water in.”

Hundreds of onlookers watched on as firefighters fought the blaze.

Paramedics were on scene as a precaution, although no injuries were reported.

Police also blocked off the roads in the immediate vicinity.

The fire was declared safe at 11.10am.