Blaze on the 12th floor sends thick smoke through corridors, raising fresh concerns over fire safety systems in high-rise housing.
A fierce apartment fire broke out late morning at the Dai Thanh residential complex, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate as flames and dense smoke engulfed part of a high-rise building on Hanoi’s outskirts.
The incident was first detected at around 11:45 a.m., when residents noticed smoke seeping from an apartment on the 12A floor. Initially, the smoke spread into the corridor accompanied by a strong burning smell. Roughly 15 minutes later, the situation escalated rapidly as flames burst out violently and spread to the apartment’s balcony, alarming occupants across the building.
As the fire intensified, residents rushed down emergency staircases to reach the ground floor and escape the building. Several witnesses reported that the fire alarm system did not activate. Instead, many only realized the danger after smelling smoke and opening their doors to find thick fumes filling the hallway—an account that has sparked concern about the building’s fire detection and warning infrastructure.
At the time of the blaze, no one was inside the affected apartment, which measures just over 40 square meters and belongs to a young working couple. The owners were unaware of the incident until being contacted by neighbors.
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by approximately 12:20 p.m. The fire caused no casualties, but it destroyed a significant amount of property inside the apartment.
The Dai Thanh apartment complex, located along Ring Road 70, consists of six towers, each 32 stories high, with apartment sizes ranging from 36 to 76 square meters. While the swift evacuation helped prevent injuries, the incident has once again highlighted ongoing safety concerns in densely populated residential developments, particularly regarding fire prevention systems and emergency preparedness.
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Source: Vietnam Insider