Updated: Some Fayette Mall stores reopen after electrical fire knocked out power
The Fayette Mall was forced to temporarily close Friday when an electrical fire started on the outside of the building late in the morning.
The Lexington Fire Department was called to the mall for a report of a smoke smell, and responded to find an electrical panel on fire. The fire cut out power to much of the mall.
“There was an electrical panel that was smoking and actually they had some visible flames, and within a few short minutes, fire had conveyed to an entire bank of electric meters,” said Battalion Chief Jordan Saas. “So that essentially eliminated power throughout most of the mall.”
The mall remained closed for a while Friday afternoon while Kentucky Utilities and Columbia Gas responded to evaluate the electrical panel and identify the affected meters. The mall reopened around 2:30 p.m., but some stores remained closed due to power outage issues, according to a Facebook post from the mall.
It was unknown if there was any damage inside the mall, Saas said. A fire department inspector was to assess damage Friday.
CBL Properties sent out email and text alerts that there was an electrical issue, according to Deborah Maddock, an employee at Brighton Collectibles. Five or 10 minutes later, the fire department asked all the stores to close, she said.
Maddock said she could “smell like a burning or a smoky smell,” but there wasn’t any fire visible inside.
There wasn’t a specific timeline for reopening all the stores in the mall, Saas said Friday afternoon.
It’ll depend on how quickly the utility companies and mall workers could ensure the utilities can be turned back on safely.
The cause of the fire hadn’t been determined.
The mall is normally open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, according to its website.
This story was originally published February 26, 2021 at 12:37 PM.