Apartment fire leaves 3 people trapped.

On the night of August 19th, a fire broke out on the ground floor of an apartment building on Bui Vien Street (Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City), causing many people to panic and flee to the street. An elderly man and two elderly women trapped on the 4th floor were rescued by police using a ladder truck.

Firefighters used a ladder to rescue three people trapped. Photo: An Nhon

At 10:30 PM, many residents reported hearing a series of explosions emanating from Anh Thụ's air conditioner shop located on the ground floor of a four-story apartment building (at the corner of Bui Vien and Tran Hung Dao streets, Pham Ngu Lao ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City). Immediately afterwards, flames erupted, accompanied by thick white smoke.

Dozens of families, including many elderly people and young children living on the upper floors, were carried down the stairs by young men to escape to the street. Many foreign tourists sitting in cafes nearby also fled to safety.

The shop was locked, and the pungent smell of gas prevented the on-site firefighters from reaching the flames. The fire raged, and the only escape route was the stairwell, which was engulfed in flames. On the fourth floor of the apartment building, an elderly man and two women, both over 60 years old, were trapped and calling for help.

Nearly 70 firefighters from District 1, along with 6 specialized vehicles, quickly arrived at the scene. The road was cordoned off, and a ladder truck was deployed to the location where the victims were trapped. Police safely brought three elderly people down to the ground using the ladder truck, much to the overwhelming joy of their relatives.

After 30 minutes, the fire was extinguished. There were no casualties, but many electrical and metal items, including several refrigerators with gas cylinders, and two motorbikes belonging to Anh Thu's shop, which is about 20 square meters in size, were destroyed by the fire.

By 1:00 AM on August 20th, many residents of the apartment building were still worried and unable to return home. An investigation into the scene is underway to determine the cause of the fire.

One of the three people trapped was safely rescued by police. Photo: An Nhon

Saigon's "Western Quarter" is an area encompassing Pham Ngu Lao, De Tham, Bui Vien streets and surrounding neighborhoods in the heart of District 1. The area is always bustling and vibrant at night, with numerous tourist services, hotels, and restaurants catering to budget-conscious independent travelers.

According to VnExpress - TH