Flames engulf Hanoi office tower, sending hundreds fleeing in panic

The blaze started around 2:10 p.m. from an air conditioning unit located outside the lower floors of Viet Tower on Thai Ha Street.

Flames quickly spread upward, creating dense smoke and intense heat. The extreme temperatures shattered several glass windows, sending shards crashing down into a nearby parking lot and igniting motorbikes parked below.

 

 

Flames engulf Hanoi office tower, sending hundreds fleeing in panic

Cháy tòa nhà Parkson Thái Hà

Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as people from the offices rushed down the stairs, while residents from adjacent alleys evacuated amid fears the fire would spread. Some locals unsuccessfully attempted to extinguish fires on burning motorbikes using handheld extinguishers.

Authorities dispatched six firefighting trucks and an ambulance to the site. Several witnesses reported individuals suffering from smoke inhalation who were evacuated to safety.

People use fire extinguishers on burning motorbikes. Photoi by Thu Hang

Firefighters brought the blaze under initial control by around 3 p.m., but smoke and explosions resumed roughly 30 minutes later, prompting renewed evacuations. "Glass shards and explosions forced people to flee again," said Nguyen Thu Hang, an office worker in a nearby alley.

Firefighting efforts continued into the late afternoon, and authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the incident.

Flames invade the 11th floor of the building. Photo by Pham Chieu

Viet Tower, also known locally as Parkson Thai Ha, is prominently located at the intersection of Thai Ha, Chua Boc and Tay Son streets in Hanoi’s busy commercial district.

 

 

Flames engulf Hanoi office tower, sending hundreds fleeing in panic

Người dân quanh đám cháy sơ tán