WHEN flames threatened a Hereford restaurant fire fighters were on the scene in seconds - because they were tackling another blaze directly across the road.

Back-up crews for the blaze at the former Victoria Eye Hospital site in Eign Street were sent straight over to the Khana Khazana opposite where a kitchen fire was spreading to ceiling beams.

Both blazes brought specific difficulties to the city's emergency services over Monday night.

Police had to keep rush hour traffic moving with part of Eign Street sealed off soon after the eye hospital fire started at 4.35pm.

And with reports of people trapped inside the derelict site ambulance crews had to be on standby.

But search and rescue teams in breathing apparatus found the building to be empty.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

Fire fighters were finishing off at the scene when the kitchen fire at the Khana Khazana was reported to a police officer directing traffic just after 6.30pm.

Crews from the eye hospital scene were sent straight over the road to stop the blaze spreading to ceiling beams.

They had to cut away part of the restaurant's ducting to do so.