Blaze in Hanoi Cafe: 11 Dead After Suspected Arson

A man in Vietnam has been arrested for allegedly starting a deadly fire in a Hanoi cafe, killing 11 people. The suspect reportedly used gasoline to ignite the blaze following an argument, and it took emergency services 40 minutes to contain the flames. Authorities are investigating the incident.

Authorities in Vietnam have detained a man suspected of sparking a catastrophic fire that took 11 lives in a Hanoi cafe, following an altercation with the staff, officials revealed on Thursday. Two of the seven people rescued from the flames have been hospitalized.

The suspect, in his early 50s, confessed to using gasoline to ignite Wednesday's fire at the three-storey venue where karaoke was also taking place, according to a statement from police. Witnesses described hearing an explosion, the state-run Tien Phong newspaper reported.

A witness recounted to the paper, 'The fire blocked all exits, and the smell of gasoline was intense.' The blaze, reported just after 11 p.m., was subdued within 40 minutes, said police. Images from VnExpress depicted firefighters battling the inferno and victims' bodies being removed. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has demanded a prompt investigation and strict legal actions against those responsible.

(With inputs from agencies.)