Fire at Johor Baru shopping complex triggers evacuation

 

Thick black smoke billows from the basement of Johor Baru City Square after a car caught fire today, forcing workers and shoppers to evacuate the popular mall.- PIC CREDIT: SOCIAL MEDIA

JOHOR BARU: "My legs were shaking" — that was how one worker described scrambling down the stairs after thick smoke from a burning car filled the basement of Johor Baru City Square shopping and office complex.

Shoppers and workers were evacuated and directed to fire assembly points as firefighters tackled the blaze.

Three people suffered breathing difficulties and received initial treatment from firefighters. A 48-year-old woman was taken to hospital, while two other victims did not require further medical care.

There were no fatalities.

A total of 26 firefighters responded to the incident, led by operation commanders Suffian Sulaiman and Suhaimi Jamal.

The Johor Fire and Rescue Department said it received an emergency call at 3.40pm.

Firefighters from the Larkin and Tebrau fire and rescue stations arrived six minutes later and found a car on fire at Basement Two, with thick black smoke spreading through the area.

Suffian said operations were still ongoing.

The cause of the fire and extent of damage had yet to be determined.

Posts and videos circulating on social media showed thick black smoke billowing from the lower levels of the complex, with some workers describing being forced to evacuate via staircases.

Johor Baru City Square, located just minutes from the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex, is one of the city's best-known shopping destinations and a popular stop for Singaporean visitors.

The mall has more than 200 retailers and 1,250 parking lots, according to its official website.

The complex is also undergoing an upgrading programme as it prepares for the next phase of development around the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link. - NST