33 killed in karaoke bar fire in Binh Duong Province

Rescue forces have completed the search for victims trapped in the karaoke bar that caught fire in Binh Duong province on September 6 evening, with the death toll rising to 33., local media reported.

Of the total, 32 dead bodies were recovered from the debris, while one person who jumped down from the burning floor died at hospital due to serious injury, said local police.

Sixteen of them were women and the remainder were men. The bodies of the victims were taken to the morgues of Thuan An General Hospital, Di An Hospital, and Binh Duong Province General Hospital.

All the victims in the fire have not been unaccounted for, said an official, adding that it was difficult to identify the bodies because they were all burned to death.By 9pm, rescue forces had completed the search and they had left the site.

The fire broke out at the An Phu karaoke bar on Tran Quang Dieu Street, Thuan An City, at a round 9pm. The fire raged so violently on the upper floor that some staff and guests singing in the bar could not escape the bar. Many were trapped inside, said people who managed to get out of the burning bar. Some jumped out to escape the fire and they suffered injuries.

Nearly 70 firefighters and 10 fire trucks were deployed to the scene, including two ladder trucks to help bring down about 22 people who were trapped on the top floor of the building.

As of noon today, September 7, smoke could still be seen blowing out of the building as the fire threatened to reportedly reignite, after being initially contained within an hour last night. The site is still cordoned off as the search for victims continues.

According to the local police, the owner is a 42-year-old man who is currently residing in HCM City. The karaoke bar opened in 2016. The building boasts 30 karaoke boxes across its three floors with a total area of 1,500sq.m.

The police have launched an investigation into the cause of the incident.

The karaoke bar was said to contain many inflammable interior decoration materials that caused the fire to spread quickly and strongly.

Binh Duong will provide victims' families with VNĐ30 million (US$1,270) and each injured victim with VNĐ5 million.

Binh Duong and HCM City today announced fire safety compliance inspections into karaoke bars, discos, and bars.

This morning Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed a dispatch to be sent to the Minister of Public Security and Chairs of centrally-run municipalities and provinces in the wake of the fatal incident.

The Government leader conveyed “profound sympathies to the families and relatives of the victims”.

He asked Binh Duong authorities to provide support for the victims’ households, work closely with the public security ministry to address the consequences of the incident and investigate the cause, and find and punish those responsible.

The public security ministry will cooperate with local authorities to inspect all establishments considered at elevated risk of fire hazards, especially karaoke venues, and promptly deal with fire safety violations.

Any establishment that cannot guarantee fire safety as per regulations will be suspended from operations to avoid similar incidents, the PM underlined in the dispatch.