A fire burns down a shopping complex housing 1,400 outlets in Poland’s capital

By VANESSA GERA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A major fire broke out in a vast shopping complex in the Polish capital that housed some 1,400 shops and service outlets. Many of the vendors were from Vietnam. Huge plumes of black smoke could be seen rising over the vast area on Sunday morning. The fire brigade said more than 80% of the Marywilska 44 shopping complex burned in the Bialoleka district Warsaw, and that the roof fell in. Police reported no injuries, but traders were in despair at the loss of their livelihoods. Polish media reported that some Vietnamese vendors wanted to enter to save their goods from the complex but were blocked by security guards.