Terrified customers were forced to evacuate a popular shopping centre after thick smoke began filling the underground car park.
Emergency services, including paramedics, were called to Redland Bay Village on Broadwater Terrace in Queensland at around 1.20pm on Saturday.
The blaze, believed to have been started by a car, was brought under control shortly before 2pm and no shoppers were reported injured.
Angela Soward was in the parking lot when the fire started.
“The fire started on the back wall of the parking lot, away from the entrance to the shops,” he wrote on Facebook.
She said her brother thought it was a car on fire.
‘My brother was about 10 metres away when it happened. He said it looked like a car, but from the angle he couldn’t make out what make it was.’
Another person shared on social media that the situation was “very scary.”
Terrified customers were forced to evacuate a popular shopping centre after thick smoke began filling the underground car park (pictured, Redland Bay Village car park on Saturday)
Emergency services were called to Redland Bay Village on Broadwater Terrace in Queensland at around 1.20pm on Saturday (pictured)
Shoppers were encouraged to avoid the area until the smoke cleared and there were reports of a “burning chemical smell” in the air.
Redland Bay WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods informed its customers on social media that the store would be closed until 9am on Sunday.
“We are currently closed and unable to access the pharmacy,” the pharmacy said.
“Officials have said it could be a few hours before they can say it’s safe to go in, so the pharmacy will unfortunately remain closed.”