5 killed in early-morning Hanoi house fire

A fire broke out at a four-story house in an alley on Van Cao Street in Tay Ho Ward in Hanoi early Wednesday, killing five people while four others escaped.

Local residents noticed the fire at around 1:50 a.m. and raised the alarm. They tried to extinguish the flames with available equipment but were unsuccessful.

The Hanoi Police Command Information Center were alerted at 2:06 a.m. and dispatched a command vehicle, five fire engines and nearly 40 officers and firefighters to the scene. Firefighting and Rescue Team No. 8, stationed about 0.8 km away, arrived first, followed by reinforcements from teams No. 10 and 14.

Firefighters approach the scene of a house fire in Hanoi on Sept. 16, 2026. Photo by police

The house has a floor area of about 60 sq.m.

When police arrived, four people had escaped, while several others remained trapped inside.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the house to search for victims and deployed multiple teams to prevent the flames from spreading to the upper floors and neighboring houses.

Major General Nguyen Hong Ky, deputy director of Hanoi Police, directs forces at the site of a house fire in Hanoi on Sept. 16, 2026. Photo by police

The fire was brought under control at around 2:30 a.m. and completely extinguished 15 minutes later.

During the search, police found five people dead and handed their bodies over to medical authorities.