Black smoke started to billow from District K bar at 30 Thu Khoa Huan Street, which lies 50 meters from HCMC’s iconic Ben Thanh Market, around 9:30 a.m. on Monday. Photo by Truc Anh
Around 10 fire trucks were sent to the scene.
The two-floor bar had been ordered to close in late September as it violated fire safety regulations, but continued to operate for a while.
By the time of the fire, it had been closed for a week after being busted by local authorities.
According to police, the interior comprise of soundproofing materials, foam and sofas, making it difficult to put out the fire.
Locals gather at Ben Thanh Market to observe the situation.
Thu Hoai, a woman living near the bar, said there were multiple blasts before the fire broke out, and then black smoke billowed out.
The facade of the bar at 11:00 a.m.
The HCMC Police Department of Fire Fighting and Prevention said a preliminary investigation concluded that when fixing the bar, a welder had set the soundproofing foam on fire.
The fire engulfed an area of 300 square meters and did not cause any casualties.
Fire police put out a fire at District K bar near Ben Thanh Market. Video by Tuan Viet, Dinh Van, Nguyen Diep
