Major Fire at Enjub Mall in New Belgrade
Flames swept through several units and the roof of the Enjub shopping center in Block 45 on Monday morning. Around 40 firefighters are at the scene and smoke was visible across the city; no injuries reported so far.
- The fire broke out shortly after 6 a.m., with the emergency call logged at 5:56.
- Some 11 vehicles and between 35 and 40 firefighters are at the scene.
- Several units and the roof of the Enjub shopping center in Block 45 are burning; no injuries reported so far.
A fire swept through the Enjub shopping center on Jurija Gagarina Street, in the Block 45 neighborhood of New Belgrade, on the morning of June 15. The blaze broke out shortly after 6 a.m., with the emergency call logged at 5:56. Thick black smoke rose above the building and was visible from several parts of the city.
Eleven fire engines, a tanker, and by early estimates between 35 and 40 firefighters were dispatched to the site. The flames reached several retail units and the roof of the mall. Crews from the emergency services sector worked to put out the fire while also trying to stop it from spreading to adjacent sections of the building.
There is no official information on injuries so far. The commander at the scene said further spread of the fire had been prevented, which was the main task for the crews in the first hours of the operation.
How did the operation in Block 45 unfold?
Commercial and retail buildings like Enjub are among the harder ones to fight. A large number of small units under a single roof means a great deal of flammable material in a confined space, and fire spreads quickly through suspended ceilings and wiring, making it difficult to contain. That is why a large number of vehicles and personnel were deployed in the very first minutes.
According to the commander, the crews’ priority was to keep the flames within the affected section and prevent them from reaching neighboring units and buildings. When a roof structure is burning, firefighters also have to watch for the risk of collapse, so part of the work is carried out from outside, with water streams aimed at the hot spots.
Traffic in the area was disrupted while fire engines occupied the approaches to the mall. Authorities urged residents to avoid the area during the operation and not to obstruct the crews working at the scene.
What is known about the possible cause?
The cause of the fire has not yet been officially established. There is public speculation that the blaze may have started due to damage to the electrical wiring following an overnight storm, but authorities have not confirmed that possibility for now. As a rule, determining the cause begins only once the fire is fully extinguished and the building is safe to inspect.
Until then, any claim about what triggered the fire remains a matter of conjecture. An official finding is issued by the relevant services after an on-site investigation, and only then can responsibility be discussed. In cases like this, the inquiry covers the electrical wiring, the heating and cooling systems, and the building’s maintenance records.
The damage to the building and to goods in the units will be assessed later. For the traders operating in Enjub, the consequences could be serious, especially if the fire reached storage areas and stock.
In your view, how should fire protection in large shopping centers in Belgrade be improved?
