Heavy smoke still lingered an hour and a half after the fire was put out, and shoppers remained outside the mall waiting to go back in.
The flames broke out just before 1:45 p.m. when cardboard and other trash ignited inside the compactor, which is under the parking garage in the rear of the building.
Derevyanik said the fire was contained to the compactor but some smoke seeped into the shopping mall.
There were no injuries, and Derevyanik expected crews to finish resetting the alarm system in time to allow customers back inside by about 4 p.m.
The fire remained under investigation.