CHENNAI: A sudden fire, suspected to be sparked by an electrical fault, led to the evacuation and temporary closure of the popular Express Avenue Mall in Royapettah on Friday morning.

The incident began around 8:30 am, when employees noticed dense smoke spreading through the building. While no visible flames were seen in the retail areas, the staff promptly alerted the Fire and Rescue Services.

Three fire tenders and over 30 firefighters from Triplicane, Egmore, and Kilpauk stations rushed to the scene, located the source of the blaze in a first-floor electrical room and managed to extinguish it within an hour. All employees were safely evacuated. No injuries were reported, and no shops were directly damaged by the fire.

Officials confirmed the fire damaged electrical wiring from the first to the third floors. While the flames were quickly contained, dense smoke persisted due to limited ventilation, requiring special machines to clear the air.

The Anna Salai police cordoned off the premises, preventing anyone from re-entering until repairs are completed and the building is declared safe. Mall management announced a temporary closure for smoke clearance and electrical restoration, with all gates remaining shut to the public.