Don't cry , Saigonese !

b]Scores dead in Vietnam office blaze

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam -- At least 48 people have been killed and more than 100 injured after a fire ripped through a six-story building in Vietnam that housed shops, a disco and several foreign companies.

Vietnamese officials say dozens more people may be trapped in the Ho Chi Minh city complex, located in the city's busiest commercial district, an area which houses many hotels.

Firefighters have been tackling the blaze for some five hours in this South Vietnamese city -- and fear the death toll may rise.

They have been unable to enter the six-story International Trading Center building, which houses several floors of shops, about 50 offices and a disco. Officials estimate around 500 people were in the building at the time.

A wedding reception was being held in the building at the time of the fire, Ho Chi Minh City Television said.

One expatriate is reportedly among the dead -- and six members of an American insurance agency are missing.

The cause of the blaze is still not known, but there were no reports of an explosion -- and police say they suspect it started in a disco in the building.

The Blue Disco, the city's most popular dance spot, has been mentioned by the state-controlled press in recent days for allegedly condoning "social evils" such as drug use.

Jumping for their life
At least one person could be seen at a window trying *****mmon rescuers, but firefighters said they did not have the necessary equipment to reach him.

The state-run Vietnam News Agency said 30 fire engines and 40 ambulances were on the scene. But firemen on the scene were not fully equipped to fight the fire and lacked water to put out the flames. Power in the area was cut off and streets cordoned off.

Flames raged at other windows sending dense black smoke into the sky as workers fled for their lives, many down steel ladders reaching up from fire trucks below.

Others jumped out of the windows.

The American International Assurance Co. was holding a training program in the building for about 100 of its insurance agents when the fire began, said a company official who identified herself only as Tien.

Six staff members were missing and about 30 were injured, some seriously, she said.

"A bell rang, and then the electricity cut off," she told The Associated Press. "The fire came very fast."

Hospital officials said more than 100 were hospitalized, many with serious injuries.

(source : CNN)
------------

2.30 P.M, I got the news of this fire from my uncle. At that time, I felt sorry for losses of properties of HCMC and I thought there must be some losses of lives.
6 P.M , I watched television and saw the scenes of so many people injured and died õ?Ư..I cried . The news announced that people tried *****rvive by jumping out of the building õ?Ư.I cried. Who are they ? They õ?~re Vietnamese , theyõ?Tre living very near me, oh my God !
It was estimated that there may be more than 200 lives killed , but I think all means of communications will not announce of the real numbers of loss of lives in order to keep society stable and peace , to keep economy less influenced.
I criedõ?Ưõ?Ưcried for my loving city, economy, investments and tourism , in particular, must be influenced seriously . You know, SJC is at Floor 1 of the building. Seeing Mr Nguyen Thien Nhan and Mr Le Thanh Hai on the television , I quietly hope that leaders of HCMC will do something to help the city to overcome this disaster.
God Blesss us , Saigonese !


Dimi
[/b]

ĐặỏằÊc dirosemimi sỏằưa chỏằa / chuyỏằfn vào 29/10/2002 ngày 22:55

Now, so much disasters have happened, esp what recently happened in SaiGon, to our city, so God bless us all !!!
Who knows what happens .. so i wanna say : I luv u all , SEC members , gotta say this before i'll never have another chance.
It's ok to kiss a fool .It's ok to let a fool kiss you . But never ever let a kiss fool you (*!*)