UPDATED: Five people were injured and hospitalised following a “cooker explosion” at a restaurant in Austin Lane on Wednesday night.

The combustion at restaurant Little Miss Korea occurred shortly after 8pm, and led to a fire in the restaurant with emergency crews responding.

NT Police Watch Commander Josh Cunningham told the ABC on Thursday morning that it appeared a Korean-style barbecue hotplate had been the source of the fire.

Five people were reported as suffering burn injuries and taken to hospital.

“It looks like one of the cookers, that are a mixture of coals and gas, subsequently ignited and caused injuries to about five occupants sitting around the table,” he said, adding that one burn was “relatively serious” but that all five were in non-life threatening condition.

Sources told the NT Independent it was caused after a person or persons threw alcohol on a charcoal cooking apparatus, resulting in the explosion and five people suffering burns.

Police said investigations are underway into the cause. NT WorkSafe has also been notified and will investigate.

The building the restaurant was situated in was evacuated and the fire that was contained to a table at the restaurant and is understood to have been extinguished by fire services.

Note: This story was updated with more information on Thursday morning.