1200 evacuated after CBD building fire
Around 1200 people were evacuated at an office building in Sydney's CBD after a fire broke out in a restaurant kitchen.
The area around World Square was engulfed with smoke from the blaze, which firefighters believe may have started in an oven in a pizza shop on the ground floor.
An air conditioning duct then sent smoke throughout the entire building.
About 60 firefighters from eight surrounding stations were on the scene at 338 Pitt St.
Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Ian Krimmer says grease trapped inside an oven chimney may have caught fire, triggering the restaurant's sprinkler system and the building's fire alarm.
The restaurant sustained water and smoke damage, Supt Krimmer told AAP.
The areas around Pitt St and Liverpool St were closed for several hours.
Witnesses said they could smell "burning brake oil" in the minutes before the blaze and they called 000 when they saw smoke billowing from a vent.
"Within a couple of minutes it was a big inferno," Tracie Mitchell told AAP.
"Smoke was everywhere. It looked like when the buildings collapsed at 9/11."
A worker in a third floor office told AAP he saw the smoke first before he heard the evacuation alarm.
"The smoke was billowing, it was so thick," said the man who gave his name as Charlie.
"I can still taste it, it was thick, it was oily, it was vicious."
He said the evacuation was orderly and he was unaware of his workmates being overcome by smoke.
Footpaths around the building reopened at 2pm.
Police are investigating.
