SW News: A blaze that broke out in a three-story karaoke bar in Vietnam on September 6, left at least 33 people dead and injured several others. The authorities said it is the deadliest blaze in the country since 2002.

As per reports, the blaze engulfed the second floor of the building on Tuesday night. Customers and staff were stuck in the building as dense, acrid smoke filled the staircase and blocked the emergency exit. This also led to a rise in the number of casualties.

Many crowded onto a balcony to escape the flames, which grew quickly as they devoured the bar's wooden interior, while others were forced to jump from the building, state media added. As per official figures, 17 men and 15 women lost their lives in the inferno.

The witness said, "Many people ran outside through the main entrance, but many others could not stand the heat, and they jumped down, breaking their hands and legs."

The cause of the blaze is primarily considered to be due to failure in the electric circuit. However, the government has ordered a proper investigation.

According to the media reports, this was the deadliest in a series of fires in karaoke bars in Vietnam in recent years. Mai Hung Dung, a top official with the ruling Communist Party in Binh Duong province where the bar is located, said officials are still searching for more victims.

In what is deemed to be previously Vietnam's deadliest fire, 13 people died in a 2018 blaze in an apartment complex in Ho Chi Minh City. A 2016 fire at another karaoke bar in Hanoi left 13 dead and injured many.

Following the disaster, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered inspections across the country at karaoke bars and other similar establishments, including pubs and nightclubs that are of high risk.