Cascades Shopping Centre in Portsmouth evacuated over fire alert

A SHOPPING centre was temporarily evacuated over fears of a fire.
Shoppers waiting outside the Cascades Shopping Centre after being evacuated.Shoppers waiting outside the Cascades Shopping Centre after being evacuated.
Shoppers waiting outside the Cascades Shopping Centre after being evacuated.

The alarm was raised after smoke set off the fire alarms in Cascades Shopping Centre on Commercial Road, Portsmouth.

Four crews on three fire engines and an aerial ladder platform were sent to the scene from Southsea Fire Station after receiving a call at 12.45pm.

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The entrance to the complex was cordoned off for safety while fire crews investigated the cause of the smoke. 

Shoppers waiting outside the Cascades Shopping Centre after being evacuated.Shoppers waiting outside the Cascades Shopping Centre after being evacuated.
Shoppers waiting outside the Cascades Shopping Centre after being evacuated.

The fire service has since revealed it was a false alarm, triggered by an overheated mobile phone battery. 

Southsea watch manager Jamie Wren, said: ‘A repair was being carried out on a phone in a mobile phone shop. The battery started to overheat and while it didn’t catch fire it did give off a lot of smoke which triggered the fire alarms. We have assured the manager of the centre that everything is now safe and the alarm system has been reset.’ 

The Cascades Shopping Centre is open for business as usual.