A fire has started in a restaurant in the center of Moscow, with no people inside, according to the administration, RIA Novosti was told by the Moscow headquarters of the Russian Emergency Ministry.

"Firefighters are conducting a reconnaissance on a report of a fire in a cafe on the first Volkonsky Lane, 15. For the time being smoke is observed, people are not inside, according to the administration of the institution," said the interlocutor of the agency.

According to him, the fire area is about 50 square meters, but the actual size of the fire is difficult to assess because of the smoke. He also noted that firefighters removed eight gas cylinders from the burning restaurant.