Fire shuts down Southside Mall

December 22, 2009 | Uncategorized

ONEONTA _ A fire broke out Tuesday morning in the Southside Mall.

The blaze started among a group of four or five mattresses at the new Beds 4 Kids store, which occupies the former Kmart space, according to Assistant Fire Chief Shane Mattice.

An employee of the mall noticed glowing coming from the store, and 911 was called at 8:42 a.m., Mattice said.

The store’s sprinkler system activated, and two security guards at the mall used fire extinguishers to douse the flames, Mattice said

By the time firefighters arrived, there fire was largely extinguished, he said.

There was no structural damage and the blaze was limited to the mattresses, Mattice said.

The two security guards, whose names were not released, were taken to A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Opening of the mall was delayed as firefighters worked at the scene.