Three members of a family died in a house fire that erupted in the wee hours of Thursday in Ho Chi Minh City, according to local authorities.

The three include Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuong, 32, her husband Le Nguyen Hoang Huy, 31, and Le Nguyen Tue Man, three, said the People’s Committee of District 8, where the tragedy happened.

They migrated to the city from Khanh Hoa Province, located in south-central Vietnam, three years ago, neighbors said.

The fire broke out at 4:25 am at their house in an alley on Pham The Hien Street in Ward 4, District 8, the People’s Committee said in a report.

Six fire trucks and 20 firefighters were sent to the scene immediately after they were informed of the conflagration.

Locals attempted to help with extinguishing the fire in vain before the firefighting force arrived.

The flames quickly escalated and consumed 36 out of 180 square meters of the house.

Neighbors said they heard loud screams from inside the house but could not save the three victims.

Neighbors felt numb when the fire broke out, Ng.Th.H., a 63-year-old neighbor recounted, adding that the house door was locked from the inside.

Ng.V.B., a 56-year-old neighbor who was among the first to attempt to put out the fire, said it was too late when he and others managed to smash the door.

“We could do nothing else, hearing painful screams from inside the house,” B. said.

Authorities are trying to find out the cause of the fire.

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