Residents evacuated from Sydney CBD high-rise following fire

At least 100 residents fled a 38-storey high-rise in Sydney’s CBD after a fire broke out this morning.

Emergency crews were called to the site at around 11.30am today following reports of a fire at the Castlereagh Street building.

Crews arrived to find smoke pouring from the building's ground floor restaurant, Lynn Shanghai Cuisine.

The blaze left the building smoke logged and caused the kitchen's roof to collapse, blanketing much of the surrounding streets with smoke and causing buses to be diverted from the area.

Restaurant owner Dennis Chen said he was frying fish when the oil caught alight, sparking the blaze.

Firefighters said the fire was initially made worse by sprinklers which poured water onto the burning oil, the same sprinklers which ultimately helped put the fire out.

No one was injured during the fire, however the clean-up is expected to take several days at least.

Fire and Rescue NSW said all kitchen owners should ensure safety measures are in place, in the event a fire should occur.

“The key message here is to have a fire blanket ready in your kitchen to cover the burning oil or put the lid back onto the pot,” spokesperson Tony Camilleri said.