The fire, which started in the kitchen of the Hungry Jack’s restaurant in the main concourse, stopped trains, forced the evacuation of hundreds of people and required 19 fire trucks — including a cherry picker — to get it under control.
The blaze started about 6pm and soon spread through the floors above in the heritage-listed sandstone building.
Smoke went into the concourse and into the light rail station, with commuters from stations one to 15 evacuated. Some trains were diverted to platforms 16 to 19.
The fire is not being treated as suspicious.
At one point 500 people were strewn across Eddy Ave, which had its westbound lane closed for most of the evening.
One elderly woman required treatment for smoke inhalation, but there was no other injuries.
Flames coming out of a window on the Eddy Ave side of Central station. Picture: Richard Dobson
Emergency services ordering commuters to evacuate the station. Picture: Richard Dobson
Commuters evacuating Central station through the Eddy Ave exit. Picture: Richard Dobson
Hungry Jack’s staff, who looked visibly shaken by the ordeal, made no comment.
NSW Police Transport Command Inspector Ben Kemp said there were at least 40 police on scene at the height of the blaze.
“All the emergency services have done well to get most things back to normal within about an hour,” he said.
“The fire is still under investigation.”