Firefighters battle a blaze at Flame restaurant on Howard Street in Belfast on October 23rd 2018 (Photo by Caoimhe McKeown / Scott Media)

Firefighters battle a blaze at Flame restaurant on Howard Street in Belfast on October 23rd 2018 (Photo by Caoimhe McKeown / Scott Media)

Firefighters battle a blaze at Flame restaurant on Howard Street in Belfast on October 23rd 2018 (Photo by Caoimhe McKeown / Scott Media)

Firefighters battle a blaze at Flame restaurant on Howard Street in Belfast on October 23rd 2018 (Photo by Caoimhe McKeown / Scott Media)

Firefighters battle a blaze at Flame restaurant on Howard Street in Belfast on October 23rd 2018 (Photo by Caoimhe McKeown / Scott Media)

Firefighters in Belfast have dealt with an incident at city centre restaurant Flame.

A total of five appliances from Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service attended the restaurant on Tuesday evening, which is located on Howard Street, roughly halfway between City Hall and the Grand Opera House.

Fire Service Duty Area Commander Paddy Gallagher said it was responding to a small fire in the ground floor extract system, and had been called out shortly after 8pm.

Four pumping appliances and one aerial appliance originally attended the scene, reduced down to two pumping appliances a short time later.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, a representative from the restaurant said it had only been a "small fire" and staff had been able to return on Tuesday evening.

Staff were back in the restaurant a short time after 9pm, although dinner service was not resumed.

The Flint Hotel, which has rooms above the restaurant, was also evacuated.

A staff member from the hotel said there had been between 30 and 40 guests had to leave their rooms, gathering in the lobby, but were able to return after around 20 minutes.

Belfast Telegraph