“I hope everyone is ok, I really hope this was an accident and wasn’t done on purpose,” shopper Narelle Fox said.
A large Christmas tree and decorative enclosure in the centre court of Westfield Belconnen were charred in a fire early Friday, The Canberra Times reported. ACT Emergency Services Agency said the fire was reported at 4:50am on the ground floor of the Belconnen mall and was treated as non-suspicious.
Firefighters Cut Down Burning Tree to Prevent Spread
ACT Fire and Rescue crews arrived to find the large tree up in flames. They cut down the tree and extinguished the fire, preventing it from spreading to other parts of the centre, a spokesperson said. A larger Christmas tree erected next to the enclosure survived the blaze. By noon, only blackened skeletal remains of the tree and the decorative enclosure remained as workers cleared the debris.
Emergency Services Say No Threat to Public
ACT Fire and Rescue said the early timing meant there was no danger to shoppers. “Given the time in the morning, there was no threat to people within the shopping centre,” a spokesperson said. “There is currently no information as to what caused the fire, but it is being treated as non-suspicious.” ABC News reported that authorities have not confirmed the cause but said the fire was not suspicious.
Santa’s Arrival Continues Despite Damage
Westfield Belconnen confirmed that the Santa event scheduled for Saturday will proceed. “Santa’s arrival at Westfield Belconnen tomorrow will continue as planned,” a spokesperson said. “The Santa Set will be temporarily unavailable during this time. Some customers’ Santa Photography bookings will be rescheduled, and those impacted will be contacted directly by our team.” The centre remains open to the public while clean-up continues.
Shoppers Express Relief the Fire Did Not Spread
Shoppers who saw the remains first-hand expressed sadness about the destruction of the installation. Narelle Fox said she hoped the fire was accidental, while another observer, Robert Hawes, said he was relieved the blaze was contained.
Fire Destroys Decorations at Belconnen Mall Shop
The tree was on the ground floor in front of The Reject Shop and Harvey Norman.
ABC News reported that Christmas decorations, including elves, were damaged in the fire alongside the tree and enclosure.
No. ACT Fire and Rescue said the fire was extinguished and prevented from spreading to surrounding tenancies, and there was no damage to other parts of the shopping centre.
“Shows how safe Belconnen Mall is. Otherwise, the whole building would’ve been burnt down,” Robert Hawes said.
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