Major shopping centre is evacuated after a loud sound is heard inside the building
- A Sunshine Coast shopping centre ordered shoppers to evacuate the complex
- Witness Jeff Addison said he had heard a noise 'like an aeroplane taking off'
- Alarms went off and Mr Addison was told there was a fire but couldn't see smoke
A major shopping centre has been evacuated on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.
Shoppers and staff were ordered to leave Nambour Plaza shortly after 8.30am on Saturday.
Witness Jeff Addison said he heard a noise 'like an aeroplane taking off' before alarms sounded.
Shoppers and staff were ordered to leave Nambour Plaza shortly after 8.30am on Saturday.
A crowd of about 100 shoppers were pictured outside the plaza and waiting to re-enter
Mr Addison told the Sunshine Coast Daily he was in Big W with his wife at the time.
Shoppers were seen covering their ears as they left the building, according to Mr Addison, who said he believed the noise was caused by an extractor fan turning on.
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He said his wife was told there was a fire but he had seen no smoke.
A crowd of about 100 shoppers were pictured outside the plaza and waiting to re-enter.
Employees told shoppers firefighters were called to scene but weren't required in the end.
Big W re-opened their shutters allowing customers back in at about 10am.
Mr Addison said he understood the likely cause of the alarm had been a malfunction with the department store's extractor fan.
All shoppers have now been allowed back into the shopping centre.
'There's no real panic. No one's allowed back in the building,' he said.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Nambour Plaza and Nambour Police Station for comment.
Department store Big W shut its doors, after an extractor fan reportedly malfunctioned
Shoppers were seen covering their ears as they left the building (pictured), according to Mr Addison, who said he believed the noise was caused by an extractor fan turning on
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