An overheated café refrigerator caught fire at Lismore Square shopping centre yesterday morning, forcing the evacuation of about 150 people from the mall.
The fire started at about 8.30am, just before most businesses were set to open.
The café owners called the fire brigade after they were unable to put out the flames with an extinguisher.
Lismore Fire Station officer Kerry Webster told local media the fire damage was limited to the refrigerator itself, with some smoke damage to the interior of the café.
Lismore Square was back open for business by 9.30am.