A huge fire broke out in a mall on the Southern 90th Street in the Fifth Settlement area, causing panic among shoppers and shop owners in the area.
The fire quickly spread to neighboring shops.
According to initial investigations conducted by authorities the fire started inside the mall, and despite the initial attempts by mall workers to control the fire it then spread violently and quickly to an adjacent three-story café.
As the flames spread, thick columns of smoke rose to cover the sky over the Fifth Settlement area. Eyewitnesses reported that the flames were visible from far away, while black smoke rose to cover the air around the place.
Civil Defense intervention
The security services received a report from citizens about the incident, and Civil Defense forces moved with all their equipment.
Fire engines quickly rushed to the site and were able to contain and control the fire, preventing it from spreading to other nearby buildings – over five fire engines were called in to control the fire.
The Public Prosecution opened an urgent investigation to determine the causes of the fire and identify those responsible. Initial investigations indicate that the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit, but investigations are still ongoing to determine the main cause of the incident.
