Behind the fire

In recent days, on social media platforms, the most talked about story is the fire at a mini apartment building in Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi. An apartment building was built on an area of ​​about 200m2.², stacked up to 10 floors, each floor has 3-5 apartments. Those apartments that people call "modern tiger cages" are the true image of a very different Hanoi, different from the beautiful words that we have long been used to saying and remembering, such as peach blossoms in spring, pink lotuses in summer, yellow chrysanthemums in autumn... Hanoi of the working people who long for even just a narrow place to enter and exit, accustomed to small alleys with tangled wires and paths that are only wide enough for two people to reluctantly avoid each other. Hanoi of countless quiet struggles for a living, of the pressure of staying in the city, of dreams of changing one's life...

And on the night of September 12, there was a Hanoi that stayed up all night, painfully following the tragic fire in a narrow alley in a district with a very beautiful name: Thanh Xuan. Thanh Xuan, but there was no more youth for many people in that mini apartment building. 56 people passed away forever, dozens of people had to be taken to the hospital, and those who remained suffered endless trauma, indescribable pain when their relatives died in the fire.

But thinking about what happened after the fire, we not only see pain, but also a sparkle of humanity that warms the hearts of the living. On Facebook, attached to information about the fire are images of blackened and tanned firefighters, their hands burned by the intense heat, their faces carved with strength and resilience, rushing into the fire without hesitation. We see rescuers holding a tiny child who has fainted from toxic smoke in their arms, running at full speed towards the ambulance, then collapsing as soon as they hand the child to the doctor. We see images of shippers, college students, neighbors... joining forces with the authorities to put out the fire, with the spirit of saving lives above all else.

“My family has 8 blankets, so bring them all out”; “Mobilize all the water reserves in the house and bring them here”; “Don’t regret anything, if you have the strength, contribute your efforts, if you have any merit, contribute your labor, if you have any useful tools or items, bring them to the fire fighting force in time”… Such simple yet touching words, from strangers, or even from neighbors who, just yesterday, were arguing over a drop of water that fell in the wrong place, a car parked haphazardly blocking the road, a bag of trash accidentally placed in the wrong place… But all the struggles, arguments, anger… what meaning do they have in the face of such great tragedy? All the trivialities of life have faded away, only human love remains!

Hanoi, after the fire, there was a heavy, continuous rain. People said, tears of heaven... A small altar was set up by the local people, incense smoke swirled and lingered near that tragic place. Many strangers from everywhere came in the rain, gently placed a flower, lit an incense stick, prayed for the souls of the deceased to be liberated and hoped to give strength to the living...

Necessities were continuously delivered to the neighborhood cultural house, including instant noodles, rice, milk; canned meat and fish; clothes, blankets; and even soft teddy bears, as a 7-year-old child said: “This is a special gift for the children in the hospital. I hope that when they receive this bear, they will feel a little happier!”

Scrolling through Facebook news feed these days, the most common information you will see is support and donations to support families in distress in mini apartments. In addition to the donation receiving address of the Fatherland Front Committee of Khuong Dinh Ward, Thanh Xuan District, which has received more than 26.5 billion VND after just a few days; there are many other charitable associations, groups, and individuals who publicly disclose their account numbers and transparently state the sources of money coming in and out.

What is even more touching is that many owners of large, beautiful houses in Hanoi have opened their doors to welcome victims to stay temporarily, wait for the crisis to pass and then gradually reorganize their lives. Reading information like: "I have 2 empty rooms, can accommodate 5-7 people"; "100m2 warehouse with air conditioning, full electricity and water, clean private bathroom can accommodate about 10-15 people"; "The owner welcomes about 5 people to stay and eat for free"; short statuses "My house is also your house", with a clear address... how heartwarming! Many fashion store owners also posted statuses announcing that if victims and relatives of victims in the apartment need clothes, shoes... then they are invited to come to the store to choose for free.

The fire at the mini apartment building in Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi is truly a disaster, a tragedy, an endless pain that surely many years from now, the people of Hanoi in particular and the people of the whole country in general will never forget. Hearts have stopped beating, hearts have broken, hearts are sobbing because of the fragility of life and death... But there are still hearts filled with love and solidarity that are trying their best to spread to warm, to heal, to help ease the pain, to give strength to the remaining people to continue the long journey ahead...

Phuoc Anh