Fire at Preston chicken shop prompts Northland centre evacuation
A fire broke out in a chicken shop at Northland Shopping Centre in Preston, north-east Melbourne, shortly before noon on Friday. Hundreds of staff and lunchtime shoppers were evacuated as firefighters tackled the blaze, which spread into the shop’s ductwork.
Crews extinguished the fire within 15 minutes and remained at the centre to ventilate the area. Images and footage showed thick smoke, while one shopper told 3AW his wife heard a loud bang from the food court.
In short
- Fire broke out in a Northland food court chicken shop.
- Hundreds of shoppers and staff evacuated.
- Firefighters extinguished the blaze in 15 minutes.
Explained simply
Northland Shopping Centre is a large retail complex in Preston, a suburb in north-east Melbourne. Its food court brings together several restaurants, shops and public areas, so an incident in one business can affect people elsewhere in the centre.
Chicken shops often use ductwork to carry cooking fumes out of the building. Fire can spread through these ducts, and smoke may travel beyond the shop, which can lead to wider safety measures inside a shopping centre.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Northland shopping centre in Melbourne evacuated after fire erupts inside chicken shop”.