Victoria

Staff, customers evacuated after clothes set alight in Big W store in Altona Meadows

Customers and staff at a Big W store in Melbourne's west were evacuated on Tuesday after clothes were set alight in the middle of the store. 

Firefighters were called to the Big W store in Central Square shopping centre at Altona Meadows about 6pm.

Clothes caught fire in the middle of the Big W store.
Clothes caught fire in the middle of the Big W store. Photo: Glenn Hunt

It is understood there were two small fires in separate areas.

"There was smoke in the store," Metropolitan Fire Brigade spokeswoman Heather Stockton said.

"They were some clothes on fire. It was extinguished very quickly."

Ms Stockton said police had been informed and would investigate the cause of the fire. 

Advertisement

She said firefighters were alerted by an automatic alarm in the store. Three fire crews from Point Cook, Altona and Laverton stations attended the scene.

Staff managed to evacuate the store before firefighters arrived, Ms Stockton said.

A spokeswoman for Central Square confirmed there was an incident at Big W, but declined to comment further.

A police spokesman said no one was harmed, but the investigation was ongoing. 

No arrests had been made as of Wednesday morning.