CONCORD ó An electrical fire forced the evacuation of seven stores and knocked out power to a portion of Carolina Mall on Tuesday.
The city’s Fire and Life Safety Department responded to the mall at 1480 Concord Parkway N. at 11:23 a.m., a city press release said. The first firefighters on the scene saw flames on the side of the building near an electrical service entrance.
Six fire units responded to the initial alarm, including a hazardous materials team that helped clean up a release of mineral oil from an electrical transformer.
Concord Police Department officers assisted with the evacuation and traffic control while the city’s Electric Utilities Department replaced the transformer. Damage was contained to the transformer and the side of the building.
About 15 percent of the mall lost power, the press release said.