HCMC - A fire engulfed a mini apartment building which houses around 150 residents on Khuong Ha Street in Hanoi’s Thanh Xuan District on the evening of September 12, resulting in numerous casualties.

As of 5 a.m. today, the fire and rescue police successfully rescued over 70 individuals, with 54 taken to hospital for medical treatment. Many people died in the blaze. The local media reported that the fire erupted at 11:50 p.m. on September 12 at the mini apartment building located in alley 29/70, Khuong Ha Street, Khuong Dinh Ward, Thanh Xuan District. The building occupies an area of over 200 square meters. Firefighters and fire trucks promptly arrived at the scene, bringing the fire under control after an hour. This morning, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang and Hanoi Party Committee Secretary Dinh Tien Dung inspected the site of the apartment building fire, giving guidance for rescue operations. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued a directive requesting the Hanoi People's Committee to coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security and relevant agencies to mitigate the consequences of the fire and investigate its root cause. The responsibilities of organizations and individuals involved in the incident will be clarified.