A fire engulfed part of a mall building in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Sunday (9/8) evening. During the incident, activities at the mall were still ongoing and a number of visitors and staff were present at the location.
The Fire and Rescue Service received a report at 21.48 Wita and arrived at the scene in approximately nine minutes. According to Makassar Fire and Rescue Chief Fadli Wellang, the fire was brought under control within about 20 minutes after firefighters began extinguishing operations.
The fire was found to have started at two points, namely the third floor and fourth floor. On the third floor, the fire burned a storage area in the clothing store section, while on the fourth floor it was in the Timezone game arcade area. Wellang explained that the large amount of smoke coming from the fire points caused visitors to panic.
Several people reportedly fainted from shock, while one staff member experienced breathing difficulties due to exposure to fairly thick smoke. Wellang stated that two people received medical treatment on site, but the Fire and Rescue Service confirmed there were no fatalities in the incident.
Approximately 30 fire truck units were deployed to handle the incident. Wellang explained that firefighters ensured the fire did not spread to the display area or main shop sections. The burnt area was a storage room containing various items, including clothing and other supplies. Regarding the cause of the fire, initial information suggests a potential short circuit in the neon box light area, but certainty still needs further investigation, Wellang said.
