Four days after the fire broke out at a 1,000-square-metre plant belonging to a food company on Tran Dai Nghia Street, the smell still made people living in surrounding areas feel sick on July 14.
Many people have complained that they faced breathing difficulties and hoarseness due to the smoke from the fire. Lots of plants and animals have died.
A local resident, Huynh Tien Nhanh, 45, said that he had to move his elderly mother, his wife and small child to a hotel to avoid the harmful fumes.
"I have to stay home in the evening to take care of my house but during the day I have to leave as I cannot stand the bad smell from the fire," Nhanh said.
The man said that many of his neighbours have also moved to other places to avoid the fumes.
A man transports furniture to move out from the area
A representative from Le Minh Xuan Communal People's Committee said that the plant stores chlorine powder and limestone. The fumes from the fire have spread across a 300 metres radius, forcing many people to leave their houses.
A report from Le Minh Xuan Communal People's Committee said that as many as 160 surrounding households were affected by the fire.
"The plant has given VND 1 million to support each household that was evacuated," the committee said.