Popular Toronto restaurant evacuated after fire breaks out during lunch service

Customers and employees of a popular restaurant in downtown Toronto were forced to evacuate today after a fire erupted in the kitchen.

Fire Services were called to Shook this afternoon, according to Chelsea Gaskin, who works in the salon next door to the restaurant. 

Firefighters fighting a blaze at the newly opened Shook at King and Portland - 📹 @iarechelsea #Toronto #KingWest pic.twitter.com/2VDXXXgufX

— blogTO (@blogTO) September 18, 2019

She said she believes there was an explosion in the kitchen, which resulted in a loud bang and smoke everywhere. Customers were then told to evacuate. 

"I was working in the salon next door and it started to smell like something was burning," she said. "I went outside and saw black smoke coming out of Shook and everyone had evacuated from the restaurant and Bar Buca."

Shook is an Israeli restaurant with an entirely vegetarian menu, and it opened its doors just months ago. 

"A very small fire broke out in the kitchen and it was contained immediately," said a representative for Shook. "All guests and staff were evacuated as a precaution. We are very thankful that no one was injured and appreciate the work of first responders. We will be reopening shortly."

While the representative said they're not sure exactly when the restaurant will reopen, they said it would be "imminently" and that the fire was "very, very small."