Eight people, including six adults and four children, were killed in a late night fire on July 6 at an apartment complex in Phu Tho Hoa ward in Ho Chi Minh City.

The blaze broke out shortly after 10 pm at a ground-floor unit in Block A of Doc Lap Apartment Complex on Do Doc Long street.

Initial reports showed that the fire spread rapidly, trapping residents and causing panic. Attempts by local residents to extinguish the fire with handheld extinguishers were unsuccessful.

Emergency crews from the local fire and rescue police arrived promptly, deploying multiple fire trucks and dozens of officers to battle the flames and conduct rescue operations. The bodies of the deceased were transferred to Thong Nhat and Tan Phu hospitals for identification and further procedures.

Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes, with thick smoke, explosions, and residents struggling to escape through blocked exits. Several vehicles parked near the building were also destroyed.

Authorities have sealed off the site and launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, one of the most serious incidents in the city./.VNA