A suspicious fire on Melbourne's famous Lygon St restaurant strip has caused more than $2 million damage and forced 15 people to evacuate.
The blaze started after midnight on Monday morning in a two-storey building that had been undergoing renovations for some time, before spreading to a reception centre and nearby Japanese restaurant.
The fire brigade said explosions were heard as flames ripped through the top floor and spread to the reception centre next door.
A wall collapsed into a laneway at the height of the fire, raising concerns over the structural integrity of the entire building, which houses several businesses
"Approximately fifteen people were evacuated from nearby residences for their safety and put up at a Travelodge Motel until it was safe for them to return to their homes," the MFB said in a statement.
Police are investigating the cause of the fire, which took 60 firefighters more than an hour to bring under control.
Lygon St has been closed to southbound traffic down to Grattan St, and Grattan St has also been closed to traffic heading east from Lygon St.
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