VietNamNet Bridge – A couple and their two children aged nine and three were killed yesterday after their house in Binh Duong Province’s Thu Dau Mot City caught fire early in the morning.

A house caught fire in Binh Duong Province’s Thu Dau Mot City yesterday, killing a young couple and their two children.

The victims were Ho Hong Diep, 39, his wife Doan Thi Phi Yen, 33, and their two children Ho Gia Bao and Ho Bao Chau.

Colonel Le Anh Viet, Deputy Director of the province’s fire fighting department, said they received information at about 1am about a fire in a house on Phu Hoa Ward’s 30-4 Street.

A command vehicle, four fire engines and 39 firefighters were rushed to the site. By 1.20am, the fire was extinguished completely.

The fire destroyed about 20sq.m of the 80sq.m house. It was tightly locked when the fire broke out, and the family members were trapped and unable to escape, Viet said.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh yesterday afternoon directed local authorities to investigate the fire thoroughly and provide timely support to the families of the dead.

Chairman of the Thu Dau Mot City’s People’s Committee, Nguyen Van Dong, said a delegation had visited and conveyed condolences to the victims’ families.

An ex gratia payment of VND58 million (nearly US$2,600) has been provided to immediate relatives, he said. Local authorities also helped the victims’ family with burial procedures.

The police have said a short-circuit might have started the fire, which occurred when the victims were sleeping. Since it occurred in a small area, the victims might have died of smoke inhalation.

Director of the provincial fire fighting department, Colonel Nguyen Van Son, said they were working with concerned agencies and a special team sent by the Ministry of Public Security to investigate the fire.

VNS