It was a typical afternoon at the Altona Gate shopping centre in Melbourne's west, with shoppers browsing through the latest deals and enjoying a day out.

But the calm was shattered when a fire erupted at the Kmart store, sending hundreds of patrons into a state of panic as they were forced to evacuate the building.

The emergency unfolded around 4 pm on Tuesday, 15 October, when, according to police reports, several clothing racks were deliberately set ablaze.

The fire, described as being '5m by 5m' in size, quickly triggered the store's internal sprinklers.

Shoppers flee Kmart store in Melbourne after a fire was set ablaze. Credit: 7NEWS Melbourne / Facebook

Thanks to the prompt response of emergency services, the fire was brought under control within a mere 20 minutes.

As the firefighters battled the flames, they were met with 'extensive smoke,' which made it challenging to determine the fire's origin.

The smoke was so severe that a community advice warning had to be issued for the surrounding area.

One shopper recounted the harrowing experience, saying, '(I) quite panicked because you don't think that something like this can happen.'

It's a sentiment shared by many who find themselves in the midst of an unexpected crisis, where the thin line between a normal day and chaos becomes all too apparent.

The owners of the shopping centre, Vicinity, were quick to address the incident.

'The safety of our customers, retailers and teams is our first priority,’ they emphasised.

‘We are planning the centre will be open as usual (on Wednesday, 16 October).’

As the community reels from the shock, police are calling for any information that could help them understand the motives behind this dangerous act.

In a similar story, a Coles supermarket in Perth has incurred an estimated $100,000 in damages and repair costs after some of its products were deliberately set ablaze.

The arson squad started looking for information regarding the event, and Coles has been cooperating with the investigation. You can read more about the story here.

You can also watch 7NEWS’ coverage below:

Credit: 7NEWS Melbourne / Facebook​

Key Takeaways

• Hundreds of shoppers were evacuated from a Melbourne shopping complex due to a deliberately lit fire at Kmart.
• The fire caused no injuries, and all people within the centre at the time have been accounted for.
• Firefighters faced extensive smoke upon arrival, making it initially difficult to locate the blaze.
• Police are investigating the incident, which has been deemed suspicious, and are appealing for information.

Have you ever ound yourself in a similar situation? How did you react, and what advice would you give others facing such an emergency? Share them with us in the comments below!

 

[Kman]

Kopy kat kids, trying to emulate what those 2 kids in Stirling SA did to the Woolworths store.

 

[Ebby]

Recently l was at the Spec Savers in Kingston Tas shopping centre when an announcement on the tanoid informed us there was a bomb threat and to evacuate the building. He must have repeated it about ten times before it sank in as everybody just looked at each other. We did some other shopping and about half an hour later we went back in with a crowd of other people.

 

[Kman]

Tannoy, referring to the speaker system, I havent heard that in a long time.

 

[Ebby]

Tannoy, referring to the speaker system, I havent heard that in a long time.

Alright smarty pants perhaps l should have said speaker but does it really make any difference?

 

[Veggiepatch]

Alright smarty pants perhaps l should have said speaker but does it really make any difference?

Maybe to people who aren't aware of Tannoy, the British speaker manufacturer.

Like calling a vacuum cleaner a "Hoover".

 

[Veggiepatch]

The Australian Wool Testing Authority was doing a random check on the flammability of apparel sold in Kmart....

 

[Ebby]

Maybe to people who aren't aware of Tannoy, the British speaker manufacturer.

Like calling a vacuum cleaner a "Hoover".

Quite right we always called our cleaner a Hoover because that was what was called and it was very popular make.

 

[Kman]

I believe it was named after J Edgar Hoover, former head of the FBI, United States. Remember the guy who had a personal vendetta against Homosexuals? Turns out he was one as well.
Jokes allowed. He was a sucker.

 

[Veggiepatch]

I believe it was named after J Edgar Hoover, former head of the FBI, United States. Remember the guy who had a personal vendetta against Homosexuals? Turns out he was one as well.
Jokes allowed. He was a sucker.

Nice one!

It took a few seconds for the penny to drop!

 

[Dynamo]

The Australian Wool Testing Authority was doing a random check on the flammability of apparel sold in Kmart....

Thanks for lightening up such an escalation in scam panic. Every honest person that we interact with is a blessing and so is a quick dose of humour in an all too frequent crime.

 

[Gsr]

A few months ago I was in the local Coles shopping when the fire alarm sounded and an announcement came over the loudspeaker to evacuate the store. A few of us decided it was probably only a fire alarm check and ignored it and kept shopping. After about ten minutes a Coles manager came and found us and said we needed to evacuate pronto as the store and the rest of the shopping centre was closing due to fire alarms going off. I went and sat in the car, it was over an hour before the centre reopened, the firies came, the problem was the chicken cooker in Coles started smoking and set off the alarms. I wouldn’t have bothered waiting if I hadn’t needed milk and fruit for work the next day.