Fire at Nali Patio Causes False Alarm Among Sanlituners

Last night, a video of a fire atop Nali Patio began circulating, in turn setting WeChat aflame with rumors. The angle of the video made it difficult to ascertain exactly where the fire was located in the Patio’s approximate 50sqm space, which left plenty of room for speculation as to which of the rooftop venues had suddenly found themselves with a blazing kitchen.

However, staff at the patio told the Beijinger that no such kitchen fire had occurred. In fact, it was a chimney on the roof that caught fire, apparently causing no damage to the patio’s venues. Though no one was reportedly hurt in the blaze, it seems like ground-level onlookers were concerned by the effects of the fire and can be seen in the video retreating into buildings below.

Chimney fires are typically caused by soot and other residue in the chimney that can catch flame when the chimney reaches high temperatures. While such fires can be dangerous, these particular flames were fortunately contained before getting out of control. That should be a relief to the frequenters of this Mediterranian-style haven, which is home to four floors of restaurants (El Barrio's terrace is pictured at top), bars, and boutiques, many of which hold a special place in the hearts of Beijingers.

Meanwhile, a temporary garage at a residential building off of Chuiyangliu Dongjie, near Shuangjing, also caught fire the same evening, according to Beijing News. Black smoke began to billow from the garage, prompting police to respond by fighting the fire with an extinguisher. Their efforts were followed up by firefighters who evacuated the scene and extinguished the flames. There were no casualties, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

READ: Large Fire Erupts on Roof of Google's Beijing Offices in Zhongguancun

Images: El Barrio, video source unknown