HCMC – A man has been arrested and charged with murder after allegedly causing a fire that killed 11 people at a cafe in Hanoi last night, December 18.
The suspect, identified as C.V.H., reportedly poured gasoline inside the cafe at Pham Van Dong Street and set it ablaze, authorities said. The motive for the attack is believed to be a dispute with cafe staff.
“The suspect confessed to having an argument with the cafe staff before the incident,” a police official told local media.
Firefighters were called to the scene around 11 p.m. local time, but the blaze had already engulfed the building. Seven others managed to escape, and two were injured and hospitalized.
Eleven people were found dead inside.
A surveillance video clip obtained by police shows a man matching the suspect’s description carrying a container and approaching the cafe before the fire broke out.
The suspect, who has a criminal history including robbery and theft, is being held in custody while the investigation continues.
Bui Thi Minh Hoai, secretary of the Hanoi City Party Committee, and Nguyen Hai Trung, the city’s police chief, visited the scene and oversaw the fire-fighting efforts.
