Fire breaks out at Kuwait’s Avenues Mall construction site

A fire that broke out at Kuwait’s The Avenues Mall, where construction work is being done to expand the shopping complex, has been brought under control, state news agency KUNA reported on Thursday.

KUNA quoted General Jamal Al-Blaihees, deputy director of the Kuwait Fire Service, as saying the blaze had been contained and that only material damage had been caused.

The Avenues Mall is owned by Kuwait-listed Mabanee , which has interests in real estate, construction and investment.

Mabanee said in a statement that the fire affected only the storage room where it broke out and would not slow the mall expansion project, which is in its fourth phase.

Opened in 2007, The Avenues is the largest shopping mall in Kuwait with over 800 stores, according to its website.

Workers on the construction site told Reuters the fire had broken out earlier on Thursday at a storage facility for building materials. They said no construction workers had been injured.

The commercial part of The Avenues Mall was operating as normal on Thursday, with no disruption to shoppers, according to a Reuters reporter at the scene.

The commercial part of The Avenues Mall was operating as normal on Thursday, with no disruption to shoppers, according to a Reuters reporter at the scene.

The Avenues Mall is owned by Kuwait-listed Mabanee , which has interests in real estate, construction and investment.