Faulty wiring blamed for Vietnam apartment fire that killed 8

According to initial investigations, the homeowner in an apartment on the ground floor of Block A at Doc Lap apartment complex had connected power sources to household devices by themselves.

This unsafe wiring led to a short circuit that ignited the fire around 10 p.m. on July 6.

The blaze quickly spread to the neighboring apartment, trapping residents inside. Both units had only a single front exit, which was engulfed in flames, and lacked any rear emergency exit.

Rescue teams arrived promptly, saving three people from other units, but eight died in the two affected apartments.

The victims included a family of four: a couple aged 38 and 40 and their children aged 7 and 11, and another family with a couple in their 70s and their two daughters aged 41 and 48.

Police also noted that some residents had illegally expanded their units with metal-bar enclosures, blocking potential escape routes through balconies and further endangering lives.

Authorities are urging residents not to tamper with electrical wiring, to avoid using devices and cables of unclear origin, and to ensure their electrical setups are safe and not overloaded to prevent similar tragedies.

The Doc Lap complex, built 17 years ago, consists of two five-story blocks with more than 110 units each. Ground floor apartments lack emergency exits. The building is located along a narrow 6-meter alley about 100 meters from the main road.

On July 8, Ho Chi Minh City Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc visited the site, calling on police to urgently investigate the fire’s rapid spread.