Fire, explosions break out in Saigon's backpackers' street

By Son Hoa November 6, 2016 | 08:56 am PT

A big crowd gathers on Bui Vien Street to watch the incident. Photo by VnExpress

Foreigners and locals were partying the night away on Saigon's 'foreigners' street'.

Many foreign tourists and local people rushed away from Bui Vien Street in downtown Saigon on Sunday night as fire and explosions suddenly broke out from a house in a nearby alley.

“Many foreign tourists were drinking beer on the street. They quickly ran away in panic after hearing the news about the fire,” a local witness said. No injuries were reported.

Smoke was seen spreading from the house to the street but luckily the nearby houses did not catch fire.

Dozens of police officers with three fire trucks quickly arrived at the scene and stopped the fire soon after it broke out.

Fire, explosions break out in Saigon's backpackers' street

A young drug addict lives in the house, according to local media. He allegedly threatened to set the house on fire before the blaze and was seen getting out of the house right after the fire broke.

Bui Vien is part of the Pho Tay, which means the "foreigner's street" in Vietnamese. Pho Tay also includes the streets of Pham Ngu Lao, De Tham, Do Quang Dau and the neighboring areas, in Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

The area is home to many bars, hotels, hostels, restaurants and travel centers for foreign backpackers.

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