Last night, a large fire claimed parts of District 4’s riverside warehouse complex, creating alarm among local residents, who feared the blaze would spread to their homes.
According to Tuoi Tre, at around 11pm last night, June 22, a fire broke out in a storage unit near the intersection of Nguyen Tat Thanh and Hoang Dieu Streets in District 4. The unit is part of a 5,000-square-meter, five-unit warehouse that belongs to the South Logistics Joint Stock Company (Sotrans).
Local police blocked off the surrounding streets to facilitate firefighting and evacuation efforts. Nearby hẻms on Hoang Dieu became scenes of chaos as residents tried to move their belongings to safety. Some went knocking door-to-door to warn their neighbors about the fire.
“I’ve lived here for years but I’ve never seen such a horrifying fire,” Cong, a 35-year-old District 4 resident, told Zing. “The blaze and black smoke was a hundred meters high, accompanied by bomb-like explosive cracking sounds.”
Zing reports that fire brigades from Districts 1, 4, 6, 7, 8 and Nha Be were deployed to help extinguish the inferno. A total of 180 firefighters, 29 fire engines and two fire boats participated in the effort.
At the moment, Saigon’s police and fire departments are still investigating the incident, however Colonel Le Tan Buu, who was at the scene last night, informed the online news source the fire started in Storage Unit No. 1 and quickly spread to the remaining four units. These facilities contain flammable goods, such as construction materials and household appliances, which added to the severity of the catastrophe.
The fire was contained three hours after the initial report, Buu added. A few firefighters experienced respiratory issues following the incident; fortunately, there were no fatalities.
[Photos via Zing / Top photo via Tuoi Tre]
