According to a report from local authorities, the fire broke out at a 470-square-metre lumber yard near Tau Hu Canal at 7.30 pm and quickly spread to nearby houses which are mostly made from wood with metal roofs.
Pham Thi Tuoi, a 38-year-old resident, said that she noticed the fire spreading from the house next door and quickly gathered some belongings before fleeing with her daughter.
“I heard some people screaming,” she recalled. “I managed to grab my wallet which contained personal papers and some cash while my daughter fetched her laptop and mobile phone before running out. Our house was burnt down shortly after despite our efforts to save it with fire extinguishers and water.”
Local firefighters managed to control the fire by 8.50 pm. However, the old lumber yard and two adjacent houses had been destroyed.
Authorities are carrying out the investigation into the cause of the fire.
