Four die in pre-dawn house fire in Vietnam

The blaze broke out at around 2:55 am at a house that also served as an electrical and plumbing equipment shop in the Doan Ket market area of Hoa Phu Commune.

Five people were asleep inside at the time, and flames quickly engulfed the building before spreading to a neighboring house.

Nearby residents said they heard repeated popping sounds, possibly caused by an electrical short circuit or the igniting of flammable materials.

When they rushed outside, they saw flames erupting from the signboard area at the front of the shop.

Firefighting and rescue forces were alerted and quickly deployed to the scene.

However, the front of the house was sealed by a locked metal rolling door, forcing rescuers and firefighters to break through the wall of a neighboring house to gain access.

The fire was brought under control and fully extinguished about 15 minutes later.

Four victims, including a married couple and their two children, were pulled from the burning house with critical burns.

Despite being rushed to hospital, all four later died.

The victims were identified as Ta Thi Thanh N., 28, Huynh Khanh D., 35, and their two sons, Huynh Bao H., eight, and Huynh Bao L., four.

The couple’s newborn baby, less than one month old, was rescued alive but suffered severe burns and is currently receiving intensive treatment at a hospital.

The house was heavily scorched on the outside, while the interior was completely charred, with extensive property damage.

The director of the Dak Lak Department of Public Security and other relevant forces were at the scene on Saturday morning to conduct examinations and investigate the cause of the fire.