Six family members in Ho Chi Minh City were killed after a fire tore through their residence shortly after midnight.
The fire devoured the house, situated in an alley on Le Van Sy Street in District 3, around 12:10 am on Friday, killing six family members, including three young children, and injuring two others, according to the municipal Department of Firefighting Police.
Victims of the tragedy include Tran Anh Thang, 47, his wife, 37-year-old Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thuy, their three daughters, Tran Ngoc Van Anh, 7, Tran Ngoc Bao Han, 5, and Tran Ngoc Thien Kim, 1. Thang’s niece, 36-year-old Nguyen Ngoc Thuy Vy, was also killed in the blaze.
Nguyen Thi Hang, 24, and Nguyen Thi Huyen, 22 were also injured and are currently receiving emergency care at a local hospital.
According initial reports, the blaze started on the ground floor of the house before spreading through the rest of the building and trapping the victims.
Residents living on the second floor of the building managed to save themselves by jumping from the balcony.
The inside of the house is completely destroyed. Photo: Tuoi Tre
Nearly ten specialized fire trucks were dispatched to extinguish the blaze, which had completely engulfed the 50 square meter house, six motorcycles, and two bicycles.
Two neighboring houses were slightly damaged by the heat.
According to witnesses, local residents were able to mobilize 10 fire extinguishers to keep the fire under control while awaiting authorities, but their efforts were in vain.
Thang had been leasing the house to operate a café on its ground floor. Hang and Huyen, both employees of the coffee shop, lived on the building’s second floor.
As of Friday morning, police officers were still investigating the cause of the fire.
The People’s Committee in District 3 offered VND10 million (US$439.8) for each of the deceased and VND5 million ($219.9) for each wounded resident.
The alley on Le Van Sy Street in which the house fire broke out. Photo: Tuoi Tre
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