The fire brigade was informed by the public.
A fire broke out on the ground floor of West End Mall located on Ferozepur Road in Ludhiana, Punjab, late night yesterday. The fire started in a clothing store, with the billing department of the shop being engulfed in flames. As smoke began to spread, shoppers inside the mall panicked and started running in different directions.
Hundreds of people had come to the mall for shopping and rushed out to save their lives. The mall is a five-storey building, and smoke spread across the ground floor. Fire alarms installed in the mall went off, prompting other shopkeepers to also evacuate the premises. Mall officials attempted to extinguish the fire themselves.
People were also watching movies in the cinema hall inside the mall. After information about the fire spread, moviegoers exited the cinema hall. Fire brigade officials who reached the spot safely evacuated the people.
The fire brigade was informed by the public. After reaching the site, fire brigade teams managed to bring the fire under control after nearly one and a half hours of effort.
According to sources, the fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit in the clothing store, though the exact cause has not yet been officially confirmed. Shopkeepers from nearby stores also stepped out to ensure their safety.
Efforts were initially made to douse the fire using fire extinguishers, but as the flames intensified, the fire brigade was called in. Fire officer Rajinder reached the spot. By around 12:15 am, three fire brigade vehicles had been deployed to control the blaze, which was eventually brought under control.
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