Phipps Plaza briefly evacuated because of restaurant fire

A restaurant fire forced the evacuation of Phipps Plaza for about an hour Sunday morning before firefighters let people back into the Buckhead shopping mall.

The fire started in the kitchen of The Tavern at Phipps, which remained closed Sunday.

Alarm bells from several surrounding stores went off after sensors detected smoke inside the Peachtree Road mall, said Bobby Stewart, a spokesman for the Atlanta Fire-Rescue Department. The 911 call came in about 10:45 a.m., and firefighters quickly cleared the entire plaza.

“The mall wasn’t completely open, so it was mainly employees,” Stewart said.

Fire officials vented the smoke before allowing occupants to return around noon, when the mall officially opens to the public on Sundays.

The Tavern at Phipps should reopen Monday, said Gavin Angulo, the operating partner. He said crews were busy cleaning up minor damage Sunday, as the fire was contained to an overhead venting system.

“It’s mainly water damage from putting out the fire,” Angulo said. “We’re just making sure everything is safe.”

Stewart said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.