The Ninth forced to close for ‘a couple of weeks' following fire

The Ninth restaurant in London's Fitzrovia has been forced to close temporarily following a fire yesterday morning.

Posting on Instagram, the venue said it was forced to close due to a "serious fire" and confirmed that "everyone is safe and accounted for". The fire brigade was called at 2.06am and the fire was under control two hours later.

"Sadly, it looks likely we will be out of action for at least a couple of weeks," the post added.

A spokesperson said the cause of the fire was "not yet known" and that the restaurant will remain closed until at least 2 August.

Part of the fourth floor and the roof of the building were damaged by fire, which London Fire Brigade said was believed to have been accidental and caused by an unattended log burner.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "If you have a log burner or an open fire, follow our advice carefully. Almost 30% of fires involving log burners, heaters and traditional open fires are caused by items being placed too close to a heat source.

"Always use a fire guard and keep anything that could catch alight well away, such as logs and kindling which could be ignited by radiating heat. It's also important to make sure you have carbon monoxide alarms in your home. You can't taste, see, or smell carbon monoxide fumes, but it can kill in minutes.

"Please also don't take the risk by using treated wood on fires. Not only can they produce toxic fumes, but they are also more likely to spit embers when burnt, which could set alight to nearby objects."

The Ninth opened in 2015 and was chef Jun Tanaka's first solo venture, focusing on simple yet refined Mediterranean-style cooking. It won Menu of the Year at the 2017 Cateys.

Update: Forensic investigators have since agreed the fire was caused by "low temperature ignition" of a timber stud in a wall void adjacent to the kitchen.