A Gisborne restaurant owner suffered burns to his face and hands after a fire broke out at the Hong Kong Tasty Kitchen last Friday.
It is believed the man was cooking on a stove top just before midday when flames reached up into the exhaust system and extended to the roof space.
CFA brigades arrived to discover visible smoke extending into neighbouring shops at the Gisborne Village shopping complex. They gained access to the roof space to extinguish the flames.
Firefighters rendered first aid to the injured man until paramedics arrived on the scene. He was taken to hospital for treatment.
Five neighbouring shops were smoke affected and had to be evacuated. Firefighters used positive pressure fans to clear the smoke out and those businesses were able to reopen later in the afternoon.
Brigades from Gisborne, Riddells Creek, Bullengarook and Fire Rescue Victoria from Station 53 (Sunbury) turned out to the scene.
The restaurant suffered superficial damage but no structural damage.
