Tourist Hafiz Abdul Halim, 42, who was together with his wife, said they were scared once they realized there was a fireplace within the constructing.
“We definitely panicked when we heard people screaming here and there. Police on duty asked people to evacuate premises and go to safer places,” he told local news agency Bernama.
Restaurant assistant Adrian Wong, 32, said staff and guests were asked to go away.
“Everyone made it. They left the constructing and left every thing to save lots of themselves,” he said, adding that each one floors were evacuated for safety reasons.
In a press release on its website, Resorts World Genting said the fireplace broke out around 4:30 p.m. and that an evacuation was carried out immediately.
He added that other than SkyAvenue, other areas of the resort weren’t affected.
One witness said that when the mall was evacuated, she and others attended a massage at SkyAvenue.
The evacuation went well and the fireplace was brought under control by 6:55 p.m., said Facebook user See Li Min.
A photograph of the aftermath taken from a close-by hotel room showed the charred facade of the constructing, where suppression work was apparently underway.
Local news website Kosmo earlier reported that greater than 5,000 people had been evacuated, with some panicking.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Service said in an initial statement that it was alerted at 4:55 p.m., and staff arrived on scene about five minutes later.
The fire began on the second floor after which spread to the fourth floor.
Pahang Wan Fire and Rescue Service director Mohamad Zaidi Wan Isa said in a later update that the fireplace was brought under control at 6:30 p.m. and there have been no casualties.
Genting Highlands within the Malaysian state of Pahang is a preferred entertainment and tourist destination. It has each indoor and outdoor theme parks, casinos, and shopping malls. It also hosts various live shows.
