13-9-2023 (HANOI) A devastating fire engulfed a nine-storey apartment block in Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, leaving multiple people feared dead and several others injured. Official sources have not yet confirmed the exact number of casualties.
The fire erupted in the middle of the night in a building housing 150 residents, as reported by the official Vietnam News Agency (VNA). Firefighters worked tirelessly to contain the blaze, and by 2 am (1900 GMT), the situation was somewhat under control.
According to VNA, authorities successfully rescued approximately 70 people from the building. Emergency services rushed 54 individuals, including numerous fatalities, to nearby hospitals. The VNA statement characterized the incident as “a very serious fire.”
Although the fire had been extinguished by Wednesday morning, rescue teams continued to search for any survivors within the building.
Access to the site posed significant challenges for rescuers due to the apartment block’s location in a densely populated area of southwest Hanoi, tucked away down a narrow alley.
A local resident, who identified herself as Hoa and lives near the block, shared her perspective with AFP: “We could not help them much. The apartment is so closed with no escape route, impossible for the victims to get out.”
Television footage depicted firefighters using hoses and ladders to combat the blaze during the night, while dense, dark smoke billowed from the building in the daylight.
Authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, as reported by the agency.
This tragic incident comes approximately a year after a fire at a three-storey karaoke bar in the commercial center of Ho Chi Minh City claimed the lives of 32 people. The fire also left 17 individuals injured, and the bar’s owner faced charges related to violating fire prevention regulations.
Vietnam has witnessed a series of deadly fires in recent years, often occurring in entertainment venues, such as popular karaoke bars.
