A PARKnSHOP store told customers it was only conducting a fire drill when a fire broke out on Tuesday. The supermarket's headquarters later apologized for the false claim, reports Daily Sunshine.

Customers said they heard the fire alarm go off and smelled smoke while shopping at PARKnSHOP's Zhonggang City mall branch in Shenzhen at around 9 am.

But salespeople shouted that it was only a fire drill and told customers to keep shopping.

The store did not open the emergency exits until dark smoke was seen belching from the cooked-food counters.

When the store resumed operation at around 9:30 am, the managers continued to insist that it had only been a fire drill, though they were unable to present a police-issued fire-drill permit.

And the Futian District Fire Brigade confirmed that a fire had taken place.

The newspaper later received a call from PARKnSHOP's company headquarters, acknowledging that the fire-drill claim was a lie.

Close