BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) – Boulder firefighters now have control of a fire that broke out at a business at 14th and Pearl on the Pearl Street Mall Wednesday.

The fire started around 10:30 a.m. at a restaurant called Oak located at 1400 Pearl Street in the Tanner building. Firefighting crews were still searching for any remaining hot spots or embers Wednesday evening.

“I could see giants black plumes of smoke coming out of their exhaust fan up there,” witness Pam Vogel said.

Kim Kobel with Boulder police said the fire started on the first floor of the restaurant and traveled upstairs in the false ceiling of the old building.

“It seemed to spread across the roof into the other air-conditioning and heating units up there,” witness Brian Nuttall said.

Thirty firefighters were on the scene. Kobel said one firefighter fell from a ladder but was okay and rejoined the crew to fight the fire. Crews were pulling the ceiling down to get to the fire and punching holes through the roof.

“From below they were pulling the ceiling down and from above on the roof they were punching holes in the roof to try to let some of the smoke escape,” Kobel said.

Firefighters said it will probably be a day or more before they can pin down the cause of the fire.