2002 Ho Chi Minh City ITC fire

Fatal fire in Vietnam December 2024September 2023 2002 International Trading Center Fire 2022 HCMC ITC fire.jpg Local firefighters dealing with the fire Vụ cháy Trung tâm Thương mại Quốc tế 2002 vie 13:30 (UTC+07:00) 2002 10 29 yes International Trading Center, 101 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa st. Bến Thành, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 10 46 26 N 106 41 59 E type:event_region:VN inline,title yes yes center 250 200 10.774069 106.699697 15 point 10.774069 106.699697 Structure fire Weld spatter 60 90 On 29 October 2002, a fire occurred in the International Trading Center (ITC) (Vietnamese: Trung Tâm Thương mại Quốc tế) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The six-story complex building was occupied by a department store, a disco and offices of several foreign companies. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2371427.stm Dozens killed in Vietnam blaze BBC News 29 October 2002 20 September 2023 The fire killed 60 people and injured 90 others, making it one of the deadliest peacetime disasters in Vietnam. Fifteen years on from the horrors of catastrophic blaze that rocked Saigon 28 October 2017 https://e.vnexpress.net/projects/fifteen-years-on-from-the-horrors-of-catastrophic-blaze-that-rocked-saigon-3661870/index.html 20 September 2023 VnExpress International Building The International Trading Center (ITC) was an office building and shopping center, located on the quadrilateral tile of Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa, Lê Lợi, Nguyễn Trung Trực and Lê Thánh Tôn streets in Bến Thành, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. The building has six floors with a total area of 6,500m², built in 1970, at that time it was called Tam Đa Trade Center (Thương xá Tam Đa) in Vietnamese or Crystal Palace in English. The building was renovated in 1985, used both as an office building with 59 rooms for rent and as a shopping center with 172 stalls of gold, silver and gemstone. Furthermore, the building also has a discotheque named Blue (where the fire first started), an ice skating rink, restaurants and canteens. The building had been insured since 1997, the Reuters news agency reported, for a total value of 12.3 billion Vietnamese đồng (about 800,000 USD) at the time of the fire.September 2023 Inferno The fire occurred on Tuesday, 29 October 2002, beginning at 1:15 p.m. local time (0615 GMT).September 2023 Thirty fire engines and 40 ambulances surrounded the building.September 2023 Intense heat and flames prevented firefighters from entering the building for about four hours.September 2023 It took firefighters more than five hours to extinguish the inferno.September 2023 Bodies were still being recovered from theate that day.September 2023 According to officials in the Vietnam People's Army, firefighters were not adequately equipped to fight the fire and lacked water to put out the flames.September 2023 Power in the area was cut off and streets were cordoned off.September 2023 Flames raged at the windows, sending dense black smoke into the sky as workers fled for their lives, many down steel ladders reaching up from fire trucks below.September 2023 Others jumped out of the windows. The next day, police barricaded the building, to keeping onlookers at bay.September 2023 At least five fire fighting vehicles were at the site on Wednesday, although none were in use.September 2023 The fire killed 60 people and injured 90 more.September 2023 Two welders were later arrested for causing the fire. They had been working at the disco on the second floor, and it was suspected that sparks from their equipment may have started the blaze. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2384629.stm Welders arrested over Vietnam fire BBC News 1 November 2002 20 September 2023 Along with their supervisor and their employer, they were charged with "violating regulations of fire prevention and combating". They were found guilty, and the court imposed sentences of 2 to 7 years in prison. https://vietnamnews.vn/2004-06/12/Stories/06.htm Culprits of ITC inferno receive 2 to 7-year prison sentences Viet Nam News 14 June 2004 September 2023September 2023 International reaction Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji: "I am shocked to learn of the big fire that occurred in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam ... On behalf of the Chinese government and people, and in my own name, I extend my deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to you, and through you, to the bereft families.""Chinese Leader Expresses Sympathy over Ho Chi Minh City Fire", People's Daily (English version), November 2, 2002, Retrieved September 23, 2007. European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana: "Europe is shocked to hear about the inferno and whole Europe extends its deepest sympathies to the families of those, who lost their lives."September 2007 Pope John Paul II sent a message expressing condolences to the families of victims of the fire in Ho Chi Minh City."Papal condolences to families of Vietnam inferno victims https://web.archive.org/web/20060226182531/http://www.cathnews.com/news/211/19.php 2006-02-26 ", Catholic News (Sourced from UCA News), 5 November 2002. Retrieved September 23, 2007. U.S. President George W. Bush: "I am shocked to learn of the big fire that took the lives of so many innocent people in Ho Chi Minh City. Let us express our sympathy to the families of the victims."September 2007 Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid: "We offer our heartfelt sympathies to those who suffered due to the inferno."September 2007 Reconstruction thumb|The place where was ITC building in 2015 The lot of the ITC after the event five years, was planned to build a 137 million USD 52-story complex skyscraper named SJC Tower in November 2007 and the construction was started in 2010, three years later. However, the building is still not built yet and currently it is still an empty lot, the project is also related to Vạn Thịnh Phát fraud case. See also 2023 Hanoi building fire References 30em External links Culprits of ITC inferno receive 2 to 7-year prison sentences vietnamnews.vnanet.vn High hopes for ITC site. (News).(Ho Chi Minh City's ill-fated International Trade Centre, ravaged by an inferno last October) goliath.ecnext.com In pictures: Ho Chi Minh's inferno news.bbc.co.uk Chinese Leader Expresses Sympathy over Ho Chi Minh City Fire english.peopledaily.com.cn Fire in Ho Chi Minh City Put Out english.people.com.cn Dozens feared dead in Saigon fire www.theage.com.au Papal condolences to families of Vietnam inferno victims www.cathnews.com Dozens killed in Vietnam office inferno https://web.archive.org/web/20071121073557/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/10/30/vietnam.fire/ 21 November 2007 archives.cnn.com Memorial for Vietnam fire victim news.bbc.co.uk Category:2002 disasters in Vietnam Category:Man-made disasters in Vietnam Category:2002 fires in Asia Category:2002 in Vietnam Category:Building and structure fires in Vietnam Category:Defunct shopping malls Category:October 2002 in Asia Category:21st century in Ho Chi Minh City Category:Commercial building fires in Asia