Shoppers upset after popping balloons prompt chaos at Florida Mall

Orlando mall evacuated over false alarm

ORLANDO, Fla. – Many shoppers who were at Florida Mall on Thursday when chaos erupted from popping noises of balloons are upset and want to know why the mall would allow a fire suppression test to be done during the day.

"It absolutely could've been avoided. Somewhere along the line I think something got messed up," said Eric Baier, a hockey player for the Solar Bears.

He was at the mall shopping and said he remembers seeing people running and screaming, worried that a gunman was on the loose. He said he didn't know what to think at first, but rushed out of the building along with everyone else.

"I almost got trampled at the door of the store we were in," he said.

A spokesperson for the mall claims they made two announcements prior to the test, but Baier said he never heard them. He thinks more could've been done to warn shoppers.

News 6 reached out to the mall to get more answers and they wouldn't directly respond to any of our questions, only sending back the same statement issued on Thursday.

It can be found below.

“Yesterday afternoon at one of the food kiosks in the Dining Pavilion at Florida Mall, a contractor was performing a fire suppression test. As part of this test, a bladder system within the device unexpectedly popped several times startling some customers. The test has been concluded. Florida Mall remained open and is operating as usual." - Les Morris, Mall Spokesman