THE owner of one of Derry's best known restaurants has been left "utterly devastated" after a fire destroyed his business.
More than 130 fire officers from across the north worked late into Wednesday night to bring the blaze at the Mandarin Palace and Karma Chinese restaurant under control.
Business leaders, who have been in touch with the restaurant's owner Stan Lee, said he was "very distraught" by what had happened.
While initial reports indicate the fire started accidentally in the kitchen of the River Foyle side premises, the fire service is still treating the incident as "cause not determined".
Investigators believe the blaze spread quickly through air vents in the restaurant causing widespread fire and smoke damage. At the height of the blaze fire appliances from Belfast were tasked to deal with the raging inferno.
The fire caused widespread disruption as Derry's Strand Road and Queen's Quay had to be closed. Residents at an adjacent apartment block were also evacuated overnight on Wednesday.
Derry city centre manager, Jim Roddy - a former fire officer - said the blaze was the worst he could remember in Derry.
Mr Roddy said: "We're working closely with Stan Lee the restaurant owner and he's utterly devastated and very distraught.
"His first words to me were about his customers and how he was going to serve them with St Patrick's Day coming up. Stan Lee is part of the fabric of the city."
Mr Roddy said the fire would also impact on the local economy as the restaurant employed around 20 people while a nearby hairdressing business was also damaged in the incident.
Derry fire service area commander, David Hayburn said the restaurant suffered extensive damage.
"The whole cooking area and kitchens in this restaurant are destroyed. It has suffered not just substantial damage but also collapse of the structure," he said.
Fire Service personnel and police forensic teams are now investigating the exact cause of the blaze.