'It's black inside': Police investigating suspicious fire at Surry Hills restaurant
A man with stab wounds has been taken to hospital and a restaurant is in ruins after a fire ripped through a restaurant on Crown St in Surry Hills on Thursday.
Emergency services were called to the Essenza Italian restaurant on Crown St about 11am on Thursday after a fire broke out. It has been operating for about 10 years.
Police say they are investigating an assault and a "suspicious" fire.
Ian Underwood, manager of music store Title, which is down the road from the restaurant, said he first thought the smoke was a "weird fog" but then picked up a "bad, synthetic" burning smell.
"All the smoke was pouring out of the first floor," he said. "You can see the windows are open and it's black inside."
He said he didn't hear or see any "strange behaviour" in the area before the incident.
A man was treated at the scene by paramedics for suspected stab wounds to the torso and back and fire-related injuries before being taken to St Vincents' Hospital.
He is in a stable condition.
The fire is now being treated as suspicious. An investigation into the incident continues.
More to come