Huge plumes of black smoke rose above the vast area. Firefighters said more than 80 percent of the Marywielska 44 shopping complex in Warsaw’s Białowieża district was engulfed in flames and the roof collapsed.
Police said no one was injured, but the shopkeepers were desperate after losing their livelihood. Daily Gazeta Wyborcza reported that some Vietnamese vendors wanted to enter the premises to salvage their goods, but were blocked by security officers.
The Association of Vietnamese Entrepreneurs in Poland said the fire had “caused significant financial losses to traders”, adding that it was “a terrible tragedy for thousands of traders and their families”.
Several rescue officials, including chemical and environmental rescue specialists, also participated in the operation. Authorities have sent a text message to Warsaw residents warning them of the fire and to keep their windows closed.
Mirbut, an industrial construction company listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, owns the shopping center.
Warsaw police said they had opened an investigation into the fire, which broke out around 3:30 a.m. local time, but had not yet determined the cause.
Warsaw city administration plans to discuss financial aid for small businesses whose livelihoods have been destroyed on Monday.
Shopping centers and supermarkets are usually closed on Sundays due to a trade embargo imposed by a previous government with close ties to the Catholic Church. However, small traders are exempted from this ban and many small shops in the center work on Sundays.
