Hundreds evacuated from Saigon port as midnight fire breaks out

By Pham Duy - Duc Huy - Son Hoa   June 22, 2017 | 06:35 pm PT
It took firefighters three hours to put out the blaze at the port in District 4.
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A fire broke out at the warehouse of Nha Rong-Khanh Hoi Port in District 4 right before midnight on Friday. Many explosions were heard as the flames quickly spread over the entire storage of 5,000 square meters, sending columns of smoke up more than 100 meters.

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Strong winds fueled the fire. Firefighting efforts were challenged as the warehouse is deep inside the port, which is next to a densely populated area.

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Around 180 firefighters were sent to the site. No casualties have been reported. They are investigating the cause.

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The fire swept through a section keeping thousands of refrigerant gas cylinders. Fire police suspect that it’s where the explosions came from.

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Hundreds of people rushed to leave their houses as the fire burned for three hours. Power in the area was cut.

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“The fire is so big. Everyone is scared,” a local man said.

 
 
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