January 04, 2008	Friday	Zilhaj 24, 1428

MANILA: A fire in a shopping mall here burned through most of the day on Thursday, sending a thick pall of black smoke into the air that was visible across the city of 12 million people.

No one was injured in the fire at the mall in the crowded Baclaran neighbourhood in the heart of the city. Officials said the fire began at around dawn in an air conditioning unit and engulfed the mall before it was brought under control 10 hours later.The smoke was visible from many parts of the city, including from the international airport.

Operations at the suburban Light Rail Transit System were disrupted because the overhead line runs through Baclaran and close to the mall. Firefighters from all over the city were called in and authorities used a helicopter to control the blaze.

Hundreds of small textile shops and food stalls in the mall were destroyed, officials said.—Reuters