A fire in southern Vietnam tore through a karaoke bar on September 6, claiming the lives of 12 people and injuring nearly 11. The toll was confirmed by a local official in conversation with AFP. The fire blew up the building’s second and third floors.
In the photos, firefighters on cranes were seen attempting to put out the fire in the bar, located in the commercial centre of Ho Chi Minh City.
State media reported that customers and staff were trapped as thick smoke filled the staircase. According to reports, many people crammed onto a balcony to escape the fire, which later grew intense as the furniture caught fire.
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Nguyen Thanh Tam, a top official of the communist party in the city, told AFP, “Rescue teams are still looking for victims at the scene. The cause of the fire has not been determined and is being investigated.
A witness living next to the building said that when the vehicles arrived at the scene, nearly 40 people were trapped inside. Many people exited through the main door, but many others collapsed from the heat and got injured.
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This blaze was the deadliest since 2018, when a fire broke out in an apartment, claiming the lives of nearly 13 people. This fire prompted an evaluation of fire safety protocols at nightclubs and bars.
Although karaoke is popular in Vietnam, concerns have been expressed regarding inadequate safety policies.
Pham Minh Chinh, the prime minister of Vietnam on Wednesday (September 7), commanded the second examination of high-risk locations, including karaoke bars.
(With inputs from agencies)
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