FIREFIGHTERS tackled a blaze this morning at the Chime bar restaurant in Chester Road, Hartford.

Three fire engines attended the fire, and the building was evacuated.

A Cheshire Fire and Rescue spokesman said the service received a call about the fire at 11.40am, and two fire engines from Winsford and one from Middlewich attended.

The spokesman said the fire involved the roof space and ducting pipework, and two firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel jet to tackle the flames in an extension to the building.

Height safety equipment was used to enable the fire crews to remove roof tiles.

Chief Insp Simon Meegan, speaking at the scene, said: “All we can say at this stage is that it is a non-suspicious fire.

“There are no casualties, and the fire officers are currently in the building dampening it down.”

Police attended to manage traffic.

Alex Elson, the owner of Elson News, which is next door to Chime, told the Guardian: “It was billowing with smoke when I popped my head out.

“I was speaking to a member of staff at Chime, who said they were just having a chat and the extractor fan blew up.”

Patricia Birtwisle, the manager of the St Luke’s Hospice shop in Chester Road, said: “Some of my volunteers came to me to say they could smell smoke.

“I went next door to speak to the head chef and asked him what had happened.

“He explained to me it was the extractor fan. There didn’t seem to be any danger to my volunteers, so we carried on trading.”