Hundreds evacuated as fire engulfs Russian shopping center

The Ministry for Emergency Situations reported that over 270 people were evacuated from the Remi City shopping center in Khabarovsk, Russia, after a "very complicated" fire broke out. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.

The blaze at the shopping center began at noon local time, according to the Khabarovsk region's Ministry for Emergency Situations. "We received an alert from the dispatcher about the fire at this well-known, heavily trafficked shopping complex," the ministry's statement disclosed.

All 270 individuals inside the building were evacuated, with no reported injuries. The ministry detailed that the fire engulfed much of the shopping center's roof. "A towering plume of black, acrid smoke can be seen for miles, dramatically marking the skyline near the shopping center," reported the Brief channel.

The cause of the fire remains unknown at this moment. Firefighters are diligently working to contain the blaze, after which investigators will examine the site.

The Mash channel reported that the fire spread over an area of more than 10,764 square feet, with over 10 firefighting units actively controlling the situation.