Vietnam Insider – A fire erupted late Tuesday in a technical room at the Lê Thành apartment complex in Ho Chi Minh City’s Bình Tân District, leading to chaos and trapping three residents in a powerless elevator.
Eyewitness reports suggest that essential fire alarm and sprinkler systems failed to activate, immediately raising serious questions about building safety and fire protocols for the thousands of residents and international occupants of similar high-rises across the city.
The Incident: Explosive Fire in HCMC Residential Block
The incident occurred at approximately 7:00 PM on Tuesday, October 29, in Block B2 of the Lê Thành apartment building, located on An Dương Vương Street.
Residents heard a small explosion before flames and thick black smoke erupted from the electrical technical room on the 9th floor.
The smoke quickly engulfed the hallways, spreading rapidly to adjacent Block B1 and forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate via stairwells.
One resident, Mr. Tam Nguyên, recounted being trapped in a completely dark, airless elevator at the 12th floor with his 64-year-old mother and another man after the power immediately cut out. “It was pitch black and stiflingly hot; I was terrified,” Mr. Nguyên stated.
After contacting management via phone, the three trapped individuals were rescued approximately 15 minutes later by building staff, who manually opened the doors and directed them to the roof for safety.
The Critical Allegation of Safety Failure
While the fire was contained within about 10 minutes by on-site personnel using fire extinguishers, followed by the rapid response of six fire trucks and 37 firefighters, the most alarming takeaway for international tenants and property owners is the alleged failure of the complex’s safety infrastructure.
Mr. Nguyên reported that both the fire alarm system and the automatic sprinkler system did not activate when the fire broke out, amplifying the panic among residents.
Following the near-miss, residents are demanding that the building management and local authorities conduct an immediate and thorough inspection of the entire fire prevention and fighting system.
Investor & Expat Concern: A Widespread Issue?
The Lê Thành complex is a massive residential site, consisting of four blocks and 930 apartments. The management board suspects the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit on the 9th floor, which subsequently spread to the technical rooms on the 10th and 11th floors.
For business leaders and expatriates considering long-term leases or property investments in Vietnam, this event underscores a crucial, often-overlooked factor: the reliability of fire safety infrastructure in high-density urban housing. Failure of fire prevention and fighting systems is not an isolated issue and represents a significant safety risk that international residents must consider when choosing accommodation in fast-growing Vietnamese cities.
Source: Vietnam Insider