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A huge fire on Monday destroyed a large part of the Nova America mall, one of the largest shopping centers in Rio de Janeiro with some 300 stores, but no injuries were reported, Brazilian firefighters said, EFE reported.

The fire broke out in a store in the interior portion of the mall, a fire department spokesman told EFE, and it spread rapidly to the roof of the building, which is a former textile factory located in the Del Castilho neighborhood.

Firefighters were called to the scene shortly after midday, a time when the shops in the mall were closed, but where restaurants and bars were open.

The fire department mobilized vehicles and personnel from four stations to battle the blaze, the spokesman said.

Nova America is one of Rio's largest and most popular malls because it specializes in "outlet" stores that sell products from earlier sales cycles or seasons at liquidation prices.

Given that Monday is a holiday in Brazil, the Monday of the yearly Carnival celebration, the mall had been scheduled to open its stores at 1 p.m., although local bars and restaurants opened two hours earlier.