Fire in Lisbon's historic Café Nicola: Three employees were taken to hospital

The fire that broke out in Café Nicola, one of Lisbon's most well-known historical cafes, on Thursday, September 10, was extinguished in approximately 45 minutes with the intervention of the fire brigade.

Three female employees were taken to hospital due to the fire in Rossio. While two employees were affected by the smoke, it was announced that the third employee experienced anxiety and panic attacks.

Two surrounding buildings were evacuated as a precaution.

According to the fire department's initial investigation, there is no evidence that the fire poses a structural hazard to Café Nicola or surrounding buildings.

The alarm was given at 15.10

According to the Regimento de Sapadores Bombeiros de Lisboa, the fire was reported at approximately 15.10.

30 fire personnel and approximately 10 vehicles were dispatched to the scene.

The fire was taken under control and extinguished at 15.56.

Then, the teams carried out ventilation work in the cafe and affected areas.

Two employees were affected by smoke

As a result of the fire, three Café Nicola employees were taken to hospital as a precaution.

According to the information provided by Lisboa Fire Department second commander Carlos Pereira, two of the employees were affected by smoke.

The third employee was sent to the hospital due to anxiety and panic attacks.

There is no indication in the disclosed information that he was seriously injured.

The fire may have started in a frying pan

The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined by official technical investigation.

However, according to the first employee statement given to the fire brigade, the fire started in a frying pan. is considered.

Therefore, although initial information indicates a fire originating from the kitchen, technical investigation needs to be completed to present it as a definitive cause.

Two buildings in the area were evacuated

In a densely populated historical area like Rossio, two buildings were evacuated as a precaution due to the possibility of the fire spreading to surrounding structures.

One of the evacuated buildings is a building belonging to Banco de Portugal and used as a canteen.

The other is a building belonging to an accommodation business.

After the extinguishing work, the fire brigade carried out more detailed checks in the environment.

No danger of structural damage detected

The fire department's initial assessment provided significant relief for Rossio.

Carlos Pereira announced that after the fire, no structural damage or any situation that endangered habitability was detected for Café Nicola and the surrounding buildings.

This does not mean that the fire has rendered the building unusable or that the historic structure is in danger of collapsing.

However, the time when the business can resume normal operations may depend on the cleaning, technical controls and operating decisions to be made.

Why is Café Nicola important?

Café Nicola is not just an ordinary cafe in Rossio.

Located in Praça D. Pedro IV, the establishment is one of the best-known addresses of Lisbon's historical cafe culture.

Today's Nicola opened in 1929, but the name Nicola has its roots in the café tradition in Rossio. It dates back to earlier periods.

The place is especially associated with the Portuguese poet Manuel Maria Barbosa du Bocage and has been mentioned as one of the meeting points of writers, artists and political figures throughout history.

Therefore, the fire attracted attention not only as an emergency in a local business, but also as an incident in one of Lisbon's cultural and touristic symbols.

Has the situation returned to normal in Rossio?

The fire was extinguished at 15.56 and the fire brigade then proceeded to ventilation and security checks.

Initial assessments revealed no danger to the structural safety of surrounding buildings.

Therefore, a long-term security evacuation across Rossio or Baixa is out of the question.

However, regarding the reopening of Café Nicola, the decision made by the business after technical checks must be followed.

Confirmed conclusion at this stage: the fire was extinguished, three employees were taken to hospital as a precaution and initial investigations revealed no structural danger.

Resources

Renascença — Fátima Casanova, September 10, 2026; Updated at 17.48 — “Incêndio extinto no Café Nicola, em Lisboa. Três funcionárias levadas ao hospital”

RTP / Antena 1 — 10 September 2026 — “Incêndio no histórico Café Nicola em Lisboa fa três feridos”

Regimento de Sapadores Bombeiros de Lisboa — Information provided at the scene by Second Commander Carlos Pereira