Several parts of a karaoke parlor in southern Vietnam remain inaccessible more than a day after a fire killed 32 people.
In Thuan An city in Binh Duong province, workers and customers were trapped by a fire that began late Tuesday. While the fire was quickly put out, the building smoldered into the following day.
It was reported that 32 people had died in the blaze as of late Wednesday. At least one karaoke room and one storage room were not accessible due to high temperatures.
According to reports, some people were asphyxiated, and others suffered broken limbs when they jumped from upper floors to escape the fire. Ladders from firefighters’ trucks were used to rescue others.
In his condolence message, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked government officials to support the victims’ families and uncover the cause of the fire as quickly as possible. According to preliminary findings, it was caused by an electrical short circuit on the second or third floor.
In another instance, a fire broke out at a pub in Chonburi in early August. This trapped many people inside due to blocked or locked exits when live entertainment was being provided without a license.
It has now been reported that 23 people died in the Chonburi fire, 13 on the night of the blaze and 10 since then. They had severe burns over their bodies, which made it extremely difficult to protect them against deadly infections. At least five more victims are still on ventilation.
For more on this story, please consider these sources:
- Vietnam karaoke bar fire kills at least 32 people The Guardian
- Alert: State media say the death toll from a fire at a karaoke parlor in southern Vietnam has risen to 32 San Francisco Chronicle
- Vietnam karaoke bar fire kills at least 12 New York Post
- Karaoke bar fire in Vietnam kills at least 12, injures dozens more Fox News
- Fire at karaoke parlor in southern Vietnam kills 14 The Associated Press