Updated at 5:46pm with statement from Mall of Qatar and at 8:40pm with more information from MOI
Civil Defense has finished battling a fire that sent plumes of smoke billowing into the sky to the west of Doha this afternoon.
The blaze broke out around 3:30pm and is emanating from the under-construction Mall of Qatar, according to witnesses.
Thick smoke coming from the Mall of Qatar area. Cc @dohanews @omarc pic.twitter.com/kKEIPt1jHR
— Ted Regencia تِد (@tedregencia) April 2, 2016
In a tweet, the Ministry of Interior confirmed that first responders are on site fighting a fire at a shopping center in Al Rayyan.
Civil Defence is fighting a blaze that broke out at an under-construction shopping complex nearby Rayyan Sports Club. #MoI_Qatar
— Ministry of Interior (@MOI_QatarEn) April 2, 2016
Around 7pm, it tweeted that the fire was brought under control:
Civil Defence contains completely the fire broke out at the under-construction shopping complex near Rayyan Club. No injuries. #MoI_Qatar
— Ministry of Interior (@MOI_QatarEn) April 2, 2016
This is the second major fire in Qatar in the past two days.
Last night, an electrical short circuit started a blaze at the busy Caravan complex near Ramada signal.
Mall of Qatar
MOQ has set an ambitious opening date of Aug. 23 and crews have been working around the clock to meet that deadline.
Some staffers there told Doha News that the entertainment complex is what caught on fire. Others said no one had been injured.
@dohanews very sad moments pic.twitter.com/5j7BvSm9DX
— Vishwa nath (@Vishwan10803990) April 2, 2016
In a statement, MOQ said:
“Mowafaq Kharbat, Project Director of Urbacon Trading and Contracting, confirms that a fire broke out at Mall of Qatar on April 2nd around 2.30pm. No casualties have been reported, and over 14,000 laborers and staff were safely evacuated from the premises.”
It added that an investigation is being conducted and “details will be provided once the investigation is complete.”
Anyone know more? Thoughts?