Fire hits Lucena mall

LUCENA CITY – A fire that lasted only five minutes, hit a shopping mall here early Tuesday evening.

Chief Insp. Fernan Gil Cagampan, chief of the Lucena Bureau of Fire Protection, said the blaze started at the “Mang Inasal” branch at the ground floor of the three-story Pacific Mall along Iyam River in Barangay 3 in the city proper around 6 p.m.

“Based on the initial report, there was an explosion inside the restaurant,” Cagampan said in a phone interview.

He said the blaze was short lived.

“It was over in five minutes because the sprinkler and automatic kitchen fire suppressor system were activated and had performed well,” Cagampan said.

A full investigation into the blaze was now underway, he added. /lb