A McDonald's restaurant in Gatineau was destroyed when flames ripped through the building, causing $1 million in damage late Thursday morning.
Ten employees and a few customers were inside the restaurant when the fire broke out, sending thick, black smoke billowing over Maloney Boulevard.
"On my way here I was trying, I was hoping it's not as big as it was, but when I came on site I realized it was pretty big," said Marc St-Pierre, a McDonald's business consultant.
Firefighters were called to the blaze just before 10 a.m. when employees spotted flames in the back of the restaurant. Firefighters managed to get the blaze under control within an hour and a half.
"It was rapidly going to the roof, so I had to get some additional pumps on scene to extinguish the flames," said Daniel St-Jacques, a fire chief with Gatineau fire services.
The restaurant was evacuated quickly. Although no serious injuries were reported, one person was treated for smoke inhalation.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Karen Soloman
