At least 100 feared dead in shopping mall fire

LIMA, Peru (CNN) -- At least 100 people are feared dead as fire engulfed a crowded downtown shopping mall Saturday night.

Shoppers had flocked to the mall to buy fireworks for New Year's celebrations. The fire engulfed about four city blocks including a nearby residential area, fire officials said.

About 440 firefighters were trying to control the fire that broke out around 7:30 p.m. ET.

Fire officials said they do not know how many people were injured.

Witnesses said they saw people jumping from windows to escape the fire.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but some witnesses told officials they believed the firework ignited the blaze.

--Journalist Claudia Cisneros contributed to this report.