Dozens of stalls are destroyed after a fire breaks out at Xanh Dinh Cong Market in Hanoi on December 23.
Initial information showed the blaze broke out at a single stall at Xanh Dinh Cong Market in Phuong Liet Ward at about 4.10 am on December 23, before rapidly spreading to neighbouring stalls and intensifying.
Firefighters and local police rushed to the scene, deploying multiple fire engines and specialised equipment to contain the flames.
By around 7 am the fire was largely brought under control. However, smouldering hotspots remained inside the market, forcing crews to dismantle damaged stalls and spray water to fully extinguish the fire.
Inside, the market was left in ruins. Many stalls and goods were burned to ashes, blackened and smoke-stained, leaving a scene of devastation.
Xanh Dinh Cong Market covers about 2,800 sq metres and has more than 100 stalls, serving as a busy local market for residents in the Dinh Cong area.
Nguyen Thi Chien, who lives in alley 98 Trinh Dinh Cuu Street, said she was woken at about 4 am by a series of loud explosions. Seeing the market on fire, she shouted to alert neighbours and called for help.
She said the blaze spread quickly and grew increasingly fierce, with repeated explosions and thick black smoke that made it hard to breathe.
As of now, no injuries have been reported, but more than 10 stalls were completely destroyed, causing significant property losses.