Cairns Central evacuated after reports of fire in Target

A Cairns shopping centre has been evacuated after reports of a fire in a major department store.

A CAIRNS shopping centre has been evacuated after reports of a fire in a major department store.

A QFES spokesman said there were reports of a fire at the new target store in Cairns Central about 4pm.

The spokesman said four crews initially attended the scene but crews did not find any fire but could instead smell smoke.

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A QFES spokeswoman said they later found out that the smell of smoke came from the airconditioning on the roof as a bearing had seized and put out a little bit of smoke. She said the smoke then went through the ventilation and into Target.

A technician was on scene to fix the issue but QFES left the scene about 6.30pm.

The centre reopened 50 minutes after it was evacuated.

Shoppers said they could smell something burning as they walked through Target.

Emily Canu from Innisfail was shopping in Target on Saturday afternoon when the alarms went off.

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“We were in target and we could smell burnt rubber,” she said.

“We were about to pay for our vacuum and they told everybody to get out.”

The new target store opened on Thursday after it closed its door earlier in the year.

Target unveiled its refurbished 3400 sqm retail space at Cairns Central in the space Kmart was previously on level 1.

Originally published as Cairns Central evacuated after reports of fire in Target