Skopje, 14 February 2024 (MIA) — The East Gate Mall reopened at 1 pm after fire inspectors and investigators examined the scene of the fire that broke out at the mall's food court Wednesday morning when a ventilation air duct burst into flames.

According to an East Gate Mall press release, the mall will be open until 10 pm. The food court will be closed until further notice.

No one was injured in the fire. It erupted around 9:30 am, before the mall opened and there were no visitors at the time.

The fire broke out when a ventilation air duct that extracts the culinary steam on the top floor had caught on fire, Skopje's Fire Department chief Zvonko Tomeski told MIA earlier in the day.

He said 15 firefighters and five fire trucks were battling the blazes. mr/