TORONTO, Ont. – Yorkdale Shopping Centre was evacuated as a precaution, as firefighters responded to a restaurant kitchen fire Friday night.

The small blaze began in an exhaust hood above a grill at Milestones restaurant shortly after 8:30 p.m.

Initially, extinguished, the fire re-ignited inside of the exhaust system.

Firefighters had the fire under control quickly. But the mall was evacuated as a precaution.

Shoppers at the north-end mall had their evening abruptly interrupted.

“We didn’t know if it was real fire or not,” one woman told 680News. “Some people said it was a drill, some people didn’t know,” she said.

There were no reports of injuries.

But major backlog was reported as shoppers tried to exit the mall parking lot. Extra emergency crews were requested to aid the exit.

The mall is expected to reopen Saturday.