Fire at Centaurus Mall in Pakistan’s Islamabad brought under control

People were safely evacuated from the mall, police confirmed

A fire broke out on the third floor of the Centaurus Mall in Islamabad on Sunday, according to local reports.

The building has apartments on its upper floors and videos posted on social media showed the fire spreading rapidly across several floors.

Footage broadcast on Pakistani television showed smoke billowing from the building. Other clips posted on Twitter showed people rushing down the mall’s escalators in panic as they attempted to leave the building.

People were safely evacuated, Islamabad’s police confirmed on Twitter.

Islamabad Police said its chief, other senior officers, administration officials and rescue personnel responded to the fire.

The fire inside the mall was under control and no shop was damaged, police added.

“The building will be sealed, once the rescue operation is complete, on the orders of the city’s deputy commissioner until an investigation into the fire’s cause. No one will be allowed to enter,” Islamabad Police said in a tweet.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he had ordered the relevant authorities to take immediate action.

“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,” Mr Sharif tweeted.

Chief Commissioner of Islamabad Mohammad Usman Younis confirmed that the fire at Centaurus Mall was brought under control after a two-hour operation.