At least 23 killed in a fire at a karaoke bar in Vietnam

• At least 23 people died in a fire at a karaoke bar in Vietnam.
• About 40 people were injured.
• Authorities said they are investigating the cause of the fire.

At least 23 people died in a fire at a karaoke bar in southern Vietnam, local media reported on Wednesday, September 7. At least 40 people were injured in the fire at a four-story complex in the city of Thuan An in Binh Doung province.

At first it was believed that 14 people died, however, according to a local official quoted by the news agency AFP the death toll rose to 23 after the karaoke bar fire.

Fire at karaoke bar leaves nearly two dozen dead

The fire started around 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 6, and trapped customers and employees at the scene, according to reports by Tuoi Tre newspaper and other Vietnamese media, and The Associated Press.

The fire was controlled within an hour, although it was still smoking on Wednesday, September 7, more than 12 hours later. Some of the injured suffocated and others had broken arms and legs as they were forced to jump from balconies to escape the fire.

What caused the fire?

Firefighters used ladders from their trucks to rescue other people. Provincial authorities said they were investigating the cause of the fire, which started on the second or third floor. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Wednesday ordered the Ministry of Public Security and provincial authorities to investigate the cause of the fire.

«When the fire broke out, I was so scared I ran for safety and I can’t remember how it happened,» a witness, who identified herself only as Quynh, said in a report. To see the video of the fire click HERE.

“People jumped from balconies”

Enforcement of safety regulations in entertainment venues can be lax in many parts of Southeast Asia, which is believed to contribute to the death toll in fires. Police in Thailand said a pub in the eastern province of Chonburi was offering unlicensed live entertainment when a fire broke out in early August.

Many people were trapped because the exits were blocked or closed. So far 23 people have died from that fire, 13 the night of another fire and 10 in the current month. Many suffered severe burns, making it very difficult to protect patients from deadly infections. At least five other victims are believed to remain on ventilators.