Blessing Ibunge
A popular shopping mall in Port Harcourt, Spar, was temporarily shut to customers over minor fire incident that hit the outlet yesterday afternoon.
THISDAY gathered that the fire was caused by a fault in one of the Air Conditioners which reportedly burst into an inverter and ignited into fire. It was also learned that the incident caused pandemonium in the widely visited facility, as customers trying to have access to the mall for shopping were shutout, while operators and workers at the Spar facility were carefully aided out of the place to avoid any untoward incident.
In June 2019, a gas explosion at the same shopping mall, ignited a fire which left at least five persons injured.
A source, an engineer at the mall, said:” There was an issue with the AC. It burst and the line went into the inverter. So there was a minor fire.
“It has been brought under control now.
We are doing cleaning inside. Soon it will be open to customers.”
THISDAY observed on visit to the mall that the main entrance was half closed, while several shoppers were asked to wait outside.
A customer said: “I have been out here for about 40 minute’s. They said there was fire inside that we should wait.”
A worker in the facility dressed in blue coveralls offered an explained to the shoppers, saying:”You people should just be patient. We have to clean to make sure the place is okay before we allow you in.”
Though other shops within the mall were carrying out there businesses, at about 1:50pm, the two locked entrance were open and visitors went in, but those going to Spar were disappointed as the entire stretch was under lock and key.
As at the time of filing this report yesterday evening, it could not be ascertained if Spar was later opened to visitors and nobody was reportedly injured.
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