Fire guts Chinatown restaurant

Authorities in Chicago say a weekend extra-alarm fire that gutted a popular Malaysian restaurant in Chinatown could have been a lot worse, except for one lucky fact.

The restaurant is directly across the street from a fire house.

Chicago Fire Department spokesman Joe Roccasalva says the Penang restaurant on South Wentworth Ave. was open for brunch shortly before noon Sunday when a fire broke out during cooking, spread up the exhaust system of the 2-story building and blew through the roof.

Luckily, Roccasalva said, firefighters only had to cross the street from the Engine No. 8 fire house.

All the patrons of the restaurant quickly left after seeing the flames and no injuries were reported.

A travel agency next door to the restaurant sustained some minor smoke and water damage.