Hundreds of attendees of the popular PAX Australia gaming festival were evacuated from the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre over fears of a fire.Â
The fire alarm was triggered around 3.40pm on Saturday, prompting a swift response from Fire and Rescue Victoria.
Footage from inside the convention centre showed people rushing towards the doors and spilling onto the pavement outside.Â
A spokesperson for the MCEC told Daily Mail that it had been a ‘false alarm’ and that people were already returning to the convention centre.Â
There was no fire and no injuries have been reported.
‘On Saturday 11 October at approximately 3:40 pm a fire alarm was activated at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre during PAX Aus 2025. Melbourne Fire Brigade attended and identified that it was a false alarm,’ the spokesperson said.
‘The venue, MCEC, has assured us there is no need for further concern.’
The situation saw a number of reactions on social media.Â
Footage from inside the convention centre showed people rushing towards the doors and spilling onto the pavement outside (pictured)
An MCEC spokesperson said the incident was a ‘false alarm’ with hundreds forced to evacuate
One user wrote the evacuation had been ‘calm’ on X (pictured, people move towards the exit)
‘That was an eventful 15 minutes of evacuating PAXAus,’ one person wrote on X.Â
‘PAX got evacuated due to a fire but turns out it was a false alarm,’ a second said.Â
False rumours circulating online suggested someone had been arrested for activating the fire alarm inside the convention centre.Â
Victoria Police told Daily Mail they had received no reports of any arrests. Â
Other users on X noted that the evacuation was calm, praising the convention attendees for moving out safely.
‘That evacuation felt very smooth. And we’re already allowed back in,’ they said.Â
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Chaos as hundreds are forced to flee Melbourne Convention Centre after the fire alarm went off