Karaoke fire kills 13, injures 40 others in Vietnam

Around 40 people are being treated at the emergency department of An Phu Hospital, including 11 seriously injured and one case with traumatic brain injury, as of Wednesday morning.

The blaze started around 9pm at the An Phu karaoke bar in Thuan An City on the second and third floors of the three-storey building quickly spreading because of the soundproof foam and interior woodwork.

The fire damaged an area of 400sq.m out of the bar's total floor space of 1,500sq.m, Bình Duong Province's fire department said.

The staff reportedly tried to put out the blaze with the fire extinguishers but were unsuccessful.

Thirteen fire trucks along with 66 officers were deployed to the scene and the blaze was brought under control within an hour.

When the fire started, many customers and staff (mostly women) panicked and jumped from the second and third floors to the ground, leading to various injuries. Many were rescued while in a state of unconsciousness due to asphyxiation.

Binh Duong People's Committee has asked to step up fire safety inspections at all karaoke venues in the province.

By Thursday morning, the fire was reportedly smouldering again giving off black smoke.

The investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing.

Six years ago, 13 people died after a fire broke out at a karaoke bar in Hanoi.

Viet Nam News

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