Vietnam karaoke bar fire death toll rises to 33 (UPDATE)
VOV.VN - Rescue forces have completed the search for victims trapped in An Phu karaoke bar that caught fire in Binh Duong province, southern Vietnam, on September 6 evening, with the death toll rising to 33.
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 three-story An Phu karaoke bar on Tran Quang Dieu street at a round 9pm on September 6, said the police.
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, they said.
Though the fire was extinguished an hour later, relevant forces could not access the two VIP rooms of the karaoke bar due to overheating.
On September 7, rescue forces had to break the wall and spray water to beat the heat.
Currently, 11 injured people are being treated at local hospitals.
The police launched an investigation into the cause of the incident.
The bar was said to contain many inflammable interior decoration materials that caused the fire to spread quickly and strongly.
On hearing about the news, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent condolences to the bereaved families of the victims and asked relevant forces to look into the cause of the fire
On September 7 morning, the government of Binh Duong decided to put all karaoke bars in the province under the microscope.
Accordingly, relevant forces will inspect fire prevention and control at all karaoke bars, and any violations of regulations would be subject to hefty sanctions.
