Al Wahda Mall extension reopens after fire

Some shoppers at Al Wahda Mall extension were not even aware a fire had shut down the main section of the shopping centre.

ABU DHABI // The extension of Al Wahda Mall was back to normal from 4 pm on Thursday, while the main section remained closed until further notice.

Security guards said though the fire was contained to one shop, smoke filled the entire mall, forcing it to close on Wednesday and part of Thursday.

The main section of the mall may open in three to four days.

Feda Essam, 28, from Palestine and her mother Fadia Al Shami, 45, from Lebanon, had their hands full with shopping bags as they chased five-year-old Leen.

“There was a fire yesterday?” Ms Essam said. “Really? Where?”

The pair had been shopping in the extension from 5pm on Thursday night.

“Everything is normal and there are so many shoppers, so we did not notice anything,” Mrs Al Shami said.

While most shops were open in the extension, about three remained closed.

“Maybe they do not like to open midday because we only opened at 4pm,” a saleswoman said.

The fire started about midnight on Wednesday in a storage unit in the upper floors. The store next to the unit was reportedly destroyed.