A fire in the kitchen of a downtown restaurant has caused some minor damage.

At about midnight on Friday morning firefighters were called to Jack Astor’s Bar & Grill on Harbour Drive. Staff, who were in the process of closing for the night, noticed fire behind a piece of equipment in the kitchen. Crews arrived a few moments later and used several dry chemical fire extinguishers to smother the flames.

Fire damage was limited to the immediate area, however cleanup from the use of the fire extinguishers is expected to take some time. It is unclear for how long business may be affected.

An official on the scene noted the situation could have been much worse, had staff not noticed the fire before leaving the building.