Horror in Hanoi: a karaoke bar ravaged by flames following a criminal act. The toll is heavy: 11 dead and 2 injured. The suspect, in conflict with staff, was arrested. A tragedy which plunges Vietnam back into mourning, just a few months later…
A shocking tragedy occurred Wednesday evening in a karaoke bar in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Eleven people lost their lives and two others were injured in a violent fire that ravaged the establishment. According to the first elements of the investigation, it would be a criminal act. A suspect, in conflict with karaoke staff, was arrested.
A Deadly Fire In The Night
It was around 11 p.m. on Wednesday evening that the alert was given. A fire broke out at a karaoke bar in western Hanoi, trapping many people inside. Emergency services were immediately mobilized to try to control the flames and provide assistance to the victims.
Despite their efforts, the toll is very heavy. Eleven dead bodies were found in the smoking rubble of the establishment. Two other people, seriously injured, were able to be extracted and rushed to hospital. The images of the devastated karaoke show the violence of the fire.
The Privileged Criminal Trail
Very quickly, the police suspected a malicious act. “Police suspect the cafe was (deliberately) set on fire”said a press release from the police. An individual was arrested shortly after midnight and taken into custody.
According to the first elements of the investigation, the suspect had gone to this karaoke bar earlier in the evening. After drinking a beer, he allegedly got into a violent argument with members of staff. It was following this altercation that he bought gasoline before returning to set fire to the establishment, near a motorcycle parking lot.
Powerless Witnesses Faced With The Flames
Witnesses present on the scene at the time of the tragedy confided their helplessness in the face of the force and speed of spread of the fire. No one dared to enter the building to try to rescue the trapped victims.
There were shouts for the trapped victims, but we didn’t hear anyone calling for help from the building.
Nguyen Minh Hung, witness to the fire
CCTV footage from a neighboring building captured a man, carrying a bucket, entering the perimeter of the karaoke bar shortly before the fire broke out. These elements led to the rapid arrest of the suspect by the police.
Vietnam Grieving, Again
This tragedy plunges Vietnam back into horror, just a few months after the deadly fire at another karaoke near Ho Chi Minh City which claimed the lives of 32 people last October. Following this tragedy, nearly two thirds of the 15,000 similar establishments across the country had to close for non-compliance with fire safety standards.
Six people, including four police officers, were imprisoned for their responsibility in this previous tragedy. A terrible human toll that deeply shocked the nation. And now history repeats itself, leaving many Vietnamese families in mourning once again.
An Investigation to Understand and Judge
Many questions remain unanswered about the exact circumstances and motivations of the alleged perpetrator of this criminal act. Investigators will have to determine whether failures in security systems could have worsened the toll of this new tragedy.
The Vietnamese government, in shock, has already promised a thorough and transparent investigation to shed light on this tragedy, and bring the culprit(s) to justice. In a country where deadly fires are unfortunately too frequent, an entire nation is hoping for answers and better prevention so that such tragedies do not happen again.
In the meantime, Hanoi mourns its dead and supports the families of the victims in their immense pain. A national mourning which is a cruel reminder that life can change in an instant, in the flames of human madness.
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