Fire engulfs bar next to Ben Thanh Market

Fire fighters put off a fire at a bar near Ben Thanh Market, HCMC, October 17, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Vui

The fire broke out at around 9:30 a.m. at the District K bar at 30 Thu Khoa Huan Street, about 50 meters from the northern gate of Ben Thanh Market, HCMC's most popular tourist hotspot.

Nearly 10 fire trucks were sent to the site.

A representative of HCMC Fire Police Department said welding sparks during the bar's renovation work ignited the fire, which spread over 300 square meters of the bar's 800-square-meter area.

Glass windows at District K bar in HCMC's District 1 were broken after a fire, October 17, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van

A policeman said the interiors comprise soundproofing materials, foams and sofas, making it difficult to put out the fire, which was only contained by noon.

No casualties have been reported.

The workers repairing the shop have been summoned for questioning.

Hundreds of people, including many foreign tourists, stood near to observe the situation.

Smoke from District K bar fire behind Ben Thanh Market, October 17, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Thu Hang

Thu Hoai, a woman living near the bar, said there were many blasts before the fire broke out, and then black smoke billowed out.

Bui Ngoc Cuong, 48, said he was in a paper storage four houses from the bar at the time the fire broke out.

He was alerted by a neighbor and did not have time to put on a shirt before running out.

HCMC authorities in late September suspended the bar as it violated regulations of fire fighting and prevention, but the bar disregarded the order and continued to operate for a while. It has stayed closed for a week.