“We express our deep sympathy to the Vietnamese community in Poland, particularly those who suffered from the recent fire at the EACC trade centre in Wolka Kosowska, Poland, on August 22,” Nga said in response to reporters’ queries regarding the accident.

She praised local authorities’ efforts to stamp out the fire and support the affected Vietnamese. While no one was killed in the fire, the damage it caused was extensive.

Immediately after learning about the fire, Vietnamese Embassy officials and overseas Vietnamese organisations came to help people cope with the aftermath.

The Foreign Ministry has instructed the Embassy to work closely with relevant Polish agencies and the Vietnamese people’s association there to take prompt measures to assist those affected, the spokeswoman said.

“We believe that the overseas Vietnamese people in Poland will uphold the spirit of mutual affection and solidarity, joining with the EACC trade centre’s executive board and the Polish authorities to take effective measures to help the affected people quickly return to their normal lives, bringing the centre’s operation back to normal,” she said.

The massive fire flared at the EACC trade centre in Wolka Kosowska, Poland, in early morning of August 22, causing a great loss of property to Vietnamese traders.

Poland’s fire fighters stamped out the blaze within half a day.