A shopping centre in Melbourne has been evacuated for the second time in 24 hours after a car sped through the building, narrowly missing shoppers.

Emergency services were called to Northland Shopping Centre following reports of smoke inside the building about 10.30am on Thursday.

An alarm sounded and an announcement came over the speaker telling shoppers to evacuate on Thursday morning.

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Photos posted on social media show smoke billowing out of the Myer entrance.

Fire Rescue Victoria said crews who attended found an electrical light producing the smoke.

Paramedics are also at the scene.

Shoppers scrambled to safety inside Northland on Wednesday afternoon when a white Toyota LandCruiser raced through the building.

Police were initially called to reports of a stolen car and allege the driver rammed their vehicle “several times” when they tried to block the vehicle in.

The car was then driven into the front of the centre and through the building in an attempt to escape police.

Vision obtained by 7NEWS showed the car smashing through sliding doors and steamrolling a bollard on its way out.

The driver managed to evade authorities before allegedly dumping the car in Northcote.

On Thursday morning police arrested a 27-year-old man who will be interviewed by detectives.

Police say the car involved was stolen from a home on King St, Ivanhoe East on June 2.

Northland shopping centre was locked down last month when machetes were used during a brawl involving about 10 people.

A 20-year-old man was seriously injured and seven people were charged over the incident.

At least three people allegedly involved in the brawl were on bail at the time of the incident.