NEW DELHI: 14 people were killed and three injured in an apartment fire in Hanoi, according to
state media reports
on Friday.
"The fire broke out at around 12:30 am (1730 GMT Thursday). The fire was big, with several explosions,"
Vietnam News Agency
said.
The number of occupants present in the apartment at the time of the fire outbreak remains unclear.
It took firefighters an hour to extinguish the flames.
The building is located in a narrow, two-meter-wide alley, with the upper floors being used as rental units, as reported by VNA. The ground floor of the building was utilized for the sale and repair of electric bicycles, as per reports.
"I heard an explosion like fire crackers. I thought there was a fight, or something hitting the window. I ran down and saw the fire. Many of the neighbours had run out of the alley, crossing through other neighbours' houses. We were so, so scared," said one of the residents.