By Steve Klamkin WPRO News

Lunch hour diners put down their forks and made for the exits when fire broke out in the ventilation hood of a landmark eatery on Town Wharf in Warren.

No one was hurt in the smoky blaze at the Trafford Restaurant on Water Street, where firefighters were alerted by the smoke streaming from the roof, said Warren Fire Chief James Souza.

“Bystanders noticed a lot of smoke coming from the roof, (firefighters) showed up on the scene, notified the occupants inside, pulled the fire alarm and got them out,” Souza said.

“We just had a small hood fire, something in our (ventilation) hood system caught fire,” said Trafford Restaurant front-of-the house manager Drew Farnworth. “There’s minimal, minimal damage.” He thought it may take a few days to reopen.

“We had a couple of customers. A couple finished their meal, then they all left, we got them out safe quickly, too.”