Three firefighters died on Monday afternoon while tackling a blaze at a karaoke bar in Hanoi's Cau Giay District.
The fire broke out at a 6-storey karaoke bar on Quan Hoa Street at 1 pm on August 1
But the blaze spread fast due to the building's structure and flammable interior.
Three firefighters were reportedly trapped inside the burning building after a staircase collapsed. The firefighters were identified as Dang Anh Quan, head of the Fire Prevention and Control Team and two others, Do Duc Viet and Nguyen Dinh Phuc.
Their bodies were taken to Hospital 198 under the Ministry of Public Security.
The fire was completely extinguished by 6:45 pm. Initial investigations revealed that the fire started due to a welding machine used in repairs to the parlour.
Firefighters sad at the deaths of three team members
Further investigations into the incident are ongoing
State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent his condolences to the fire brigade and families of the three dead firefighters the same day.
