A video showing a giant Christmas tree engulfed in flames inside a shopping mall is going viral on social media with claims that it was set on fire by Islamic radicals in the United Kingdom. A detailed verification shows that this claim is false.
What is the viral claim?
Several social media posts allege that the video captures an Islamist or jihadist attack on a Christmas celebration inside a mall in the UK. The video has been widely shared to stoke communal fear and misinformation during the festive season.
Where is the video actually from?
A reverse image search of the viral video reveals that it is not from the UK. The footage shows an incident that took place at Sanli Plaza in Chengdu in December 2024.
Multiple international and Chinese media outlets reported the same incident at the time, clearly identifying the location and circumstances of the fire.
What caused the fire?
According to verified media reports, a nearly 10-metre-tall Christmas tree installed inside the mall caught fire and was quickly engulfed in flames, filling the area with thick smoke. Mall staff and bystanders used fire extinguishers to control the blaze within minutes.
Initial reports speculated that a discarded cigarette butt may have triggered the fire. However, later investigations by Chinese authorities confirmed that the blaze was caused by an electrical short circuit. No injuries were reported, though the decorative tree was completely destroyed, and losses were estimated at several thousand yuan.
No evidence of attack in the UK
A separate keyword search found no credible reports of any similar incident involving a Christmas tree fire or Islamist attack in the United Kingdom. There is also no evidence linking the Chengdu incident to any extremist or terrorist group.
Conclusion
The viral video does not show an Islamist attack in the UK. It depicts an accidental fire at a shopping mall in China caused by an electrical fault. The claim being circulated online is false and misleading.