14 killed in fire at karaoke parlour in Vietnam

Hanoi, September 7

At least 14 people died in a fire that broke out at a karaoke parlour in southern Vietnam, local media reported on Wednesday.

At least 40 other people were injured in the fire at the four-storey venue in Thuan, a city in the province of Binh Duong that began at about 9pm on Tuesday, trapping staff and customers inside, according to reports on the websites of Tuoi Tre newspaper and other Vietnamese media.

They said the fire was brought under control within an hour but was still smouldering on Wednesday, more than 12 hours later.

The reports said some people were injured from asphyxiation and others with broken limbs when they jumped from upper floors to try to escape the fire.

Firefighters using ladders from their trucks managed to rescue others. Provincial authorities said they were investigating the cause of the blaze, which broke out on the second or third floor.