A large fire that broke out at the Centaurus Mall in the center of Islamabad city is now ‘under control’, officials said. No injuries were reported and all the people were safely evacuated.
The fire erupted at around 4 pm on Sunday – the day when the mall is usually crowded.
Islamabad city authorities contained the fire in about two hours. Islamabad police said that the building would be sealed on the orders of the city’s deputy commissioner till the investigation into the fire was completed.
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon said the mall and its allied residential towers were now being sealed till a technical team reported on their structural capability after the fire.
Images on social media showed a massive plume of smoke emanating from the building, with some footage showing flames inside and outside the building. Videos showed people trying to leave the building in panic.
Plumes of smoke were billowing from all of the floors of one of the three buildings of Centaurus Mall.
Visuals from inside the #Centaurus mall
— Discover Pakistan 🇵🇰 | پاکستان (@PakistanNature) October 9, 2022
pic.twitter.com/oX7W7oQQ1M#Islamabad
Fire investigators are still trying to find out how the fire started but initial reports suggested that the fire was first reported in one of the kitchens on the food court – the fourth floor of the mall. The food court was reportedly completely burnt.
Islamabad Chief Commissioner Mohammad Usman Younis said the fire brigade, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force and Rescue 1122 took part in the firefighting operation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and ordered an investigation. “It is very unfortunate that this incident happened in this well-known business centre. I pray that there is no loss of life. Condolences and sympathies for the financial losses of the victims,” he tweeted.
Harrowing image and videos of the fire in one of the biggest malls of Islamabad were shared on social media.