Police have opened an arson docket following the fire at the Greenacres shopping centre in Port Elizabeth this morning.
Police spokesperson, Captain Johan Rheeder, says damage will run into millions of rands. It isn routine for Police to investigate possible arson when a property is damaged or destroyed by a fire.
Twenty-six stores are closed as a result of the fire which broke out in the House and Home section at 3 o'clock this morning.
The blaze has now been completely extinguished.
Management says the area of the mall that was affected by the fire will remain closed today.
STATEMENT FROM GREEENACRES SHOPPING CENTRE
26 January 2012
Greenacres Centre Management can confirm that at around 3am this morning a fire broke out in the House and Home store.
The Fire Department were immediately called to the scene and are still on site.
No one has been injured as a result of this incident.
There has been smoke and water damage to House and Home, Checkers and a number of other stores as a result of this incident.
Therefore the following stores will not be trading today whilst clean up operations are under way:
Checkers
House & Home
Spitz
ABSA
Bargain Books
Ackermans
Jet
Rage
Levisons
Romens
Exact
Identity
Queenspark
Debonairs
Froggies at Tinas
Health and Comfort Shoes
Shoe City
Travelex
Fragrance Boutique
Cut Above
Home Comforts(part of Ackermans)
Sheet Street
Maurice Levin Jewellers
Torga Optical
Pollocks
BT Games
The cause of the fire is unknown and investigations are underway.
All other stores within Greenacres are open for trade and will continue as normal.
