Residents living near a burning shopping centre in north
Queensland could be forced to evacuate if firefighters can't
bring the massive blaze under control.
Emergency services received reports of a fire in a shopping
centre on Greenfield Blvd, Mackay, at 11.45am (AEST) today.
Police invoked the public safety act, which allows them to
force people in the surrounding areas to evacuate, about
1.30pm.
The Department of Community Safety (DCS) says no one is
injured and the shopping centre has been evacuated.
Twelve crews are battling the blaze in the Toys R Us, Clark
Rubber and Autobarn stores.
A nearby shop worker, who did not want to be named, says
witnesses saw police arresting four teenagers in the car
park.
Police couldn't confirm whether any arrests had been made.
Mackay Deputy Mayor Kevin Casey said he was at a rescue
demonstration with firefighters when they got the call.
"I was over at Cyclone Saturday with these guys from Fire and
Rescue when they said `oh, we gotta go, we've got a fire to
go to'," he said.
Mr Casey said he could see the smoke from his house.
"There's some pretty thick black smoke outside my window here
now," he said.
"It's pretty dark smoke, like rubber or oil or something like
that is burning."
"It's a fairly large complex over there. It must be a big
fire."
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