Four people died of smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at a restaurant less than 1 km from Ben Thanh Market in central Ho Chi Minh City early Friday morning, local authorities and a hospital confirmed.
The blaze started around 5:00 a.m. in the kitchen of a hotpot and snail restaurant on Tran Hung Dao Street in the former District 1.
The fire spread rapidly, blocking the main exit and trapping several people inside.
Smoke engulfs a restaurant on Tran Hung Dao Street in Ho Chi Minh City, trapping people inside, Dec. 5, 2025. Photo by Read/Minh Hoang |
Fueled rapidly by flammable materials inside the shop, the fire quickly blocked the main exit, trapping several individuals.
Witnesses reported seeing some people climb onto the rooftop to escape the intense smoke and call for help.
Firefighters responded swiftly and in force, sending five fire engines, a ladder truck, and over 50 officers to suppress the flames from the ground floor and prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings.
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Black smoke engulfs a restaurant’s exterior on Tran Hung Dao Street, HCMC, Dec. 5, 2025. Photo by Minh Hoang |
The blaze was brought under control after approximately 30 minutes, though major property damage was reported inside the establishment. Rescue teams transported the trapped victims to the hospital for emergency treatment.
Gia Dinh People’s Hospital confirmed that six victims were brought to its second facility (Saigon General Hospital). Of these, four individuals, three women and one man, were pronounced dead on arrival after suffering cardiac arrest due to smoke inhalation. The remaining two victims were transferred to the hospital’s main campus for specialized care.
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A firefighter stands on top of a ladder truck in an attempt to rescue people trapped on the first floor and put out the fire at a restaurant on Tran Hung Dao Street, HCMC, Dec. 5, 2025. Photo by Read/Minh Hoang |
Authorities remained on the scene until 6:00 a.m. cooling down the area. The cause of the deadly fire remains under investigation.
The three-storey restaurant has only a single emergency exit, the main door. The upper floors lack balconies and have their façades entirely covered by signage.
The restaurant is near both Tan Dinh General Hospital and the headquarters of the Ho Chi Minh City Fire Prevention and Fighting Police Department.
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