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An old house in Hoi An Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Vietnam, went on fire on Saturday afternoon, local media reported.
The fire started at a fabric shop on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street at about 3 p.m.
The shop owner and locals first tried to stop the fire but failed. Dozens of fire fighters and a number of fire trucks then arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire within an hour, according to a report from Nguoi Lao dong news site.
The incident drew many curious onlookers, many of them tourists.
The fire has damaged part of the wooden structures on the first floor of the old house and burnt out the shop's fabrics and furniture, said Nguyen Van Dung, chairman of Hoi An People’s Committee, adding that the fire might have been triggered by a short circuit.
Hoi An authorities consider the fire a serious issue and will alert other owners of old houses in the area to do their best to improve fire safety, Dung said.
The ancient town dates back to the 17th century when it was a vibrant port city receiving merchants from around the world, including China, Japan and Europe. Its rich history is reflected in a fusion of indigenous and foreign cultures well preserved in centuries old wooden buildings.
In 2015, Hoi An received two million tourists and the city aims to attract 2.2 million this year.
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