At least two people died while nine others were brought to the hospital after a house in Hanoi collapsed on Thursday morning.

A house on Cua Bac Street, located in Ba Dinh District, gave way at around 3:15 am while the residents inside were all sleeping.

Hundreds of local police, military, and firefighting officers were dispatched to the scene shortly after the collapse.

Preliminary reports said that a total of 11 people were in the house, with seven managing to escape from the debris and being brought to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Of the four victims who were stuck under the ruble, two were brought to safety by rescue teams.

At around 9:15 am, rescuers spotted the remaining two victims, who had already died as medics approached them.

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung and his deputy, Nguyen Van Suu, along with Deputy Minister of Construction Le Quang Hung also arrived at the location to directly supervise search and rescue missions.

Doctors and medics were sent to the collapsed house to provide first aid for the victims.

During a brief interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Nguyen Khac Hien, director of the Hanoi Department of Health, affirmed that the injured would be admitted to Saint Paul Hospital.

According to Do Viet Binh, head of the Ba Dinh administration, the house was constructed in 1980.

In a brief report, police officers stated that the house belonged to Tran Anh Tuan, 52, and it was used as an eatery.

The residence had three floors, with the first and second stories used for business, while employees cooked and slept on the third floor.

The house was old and had a poorly constructed foundation, which may be to blame for the collapse, according to initial assessments.

Police officers said that another house nearby, owned by Nguyen Thi Van, is being renovated, partly causing the tumble.

Van was granted a permit for her construction by local authorities on Tuesday, they added.