The New Zealand Herald

Fire rages through large Polish shopping complex

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A massive fire broke out yesterday in a vast shopping complex in the Polish capital that housed some 1400 shops and service outlets and where many of the vendors were from Vietnam.

Huge plumes of black smoke could be seen rising over the vast area.

The fire brigade said more than 80 per cent of the Marywilska 44 shopping complex burned in the Bialoleka district of Warsaw, and that the roof fell in.

Police reported no injuries, but traders were in despair at the loss of their livelihood­s. The Gazeta Wyborcza daily reported some Vietnamese vendors wanted to enter to save their goods from the complex but were blocked by security guards.

The Associatio­n of Vietnamese Entreprene­urs in Poland said the fire meant “great financial losses for merchants”, calling it a “terrible tragedy for thousands of merchants and their families”.

Chemical and environmen­tal rescue specialist­s were among the large numbers of rescue officials who took part in the operation.

Authoritie­s sent a text message warning Warsaw residents about the fire and telling them to stay home with the windows closed.

Mirbud, an industrial constructi­on company listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, owns the shopping centre.

Warsaw police said it had begun investigat­ing the fire, which began at around 3.30am local time, but had not yet determined the cause.

The Warsaw city administra­tion planned to discuss financial support for the small traders whose livelihood­s we destroyed.

Shopping centres and large shops are usually closed on Sunday due to a ban on trade imposed by the previous government, which had close ties to the Catholic church.

However, small business owners are exempt from the ban, and many of the small shops at the centre worked on Sundays.

 ?? Photo / AP ?? Smoke billows from the Marywilska shopping complex in Warsaw.
Photo / AP Smoke billows from the Marywilska shopping complex in Warsaw.

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