According to the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland, on May 12, a fire broke out at a shopping center housing hundreds of stalls owned by Vietnamese merchants at 44 Marywilska Street, Warsaw.

The fire occurred early in the morning of May 12. Within about 10 minutes of receiving the alarm, the first firefighting team arrived at the scene. However, due to the high density of goods, including textiles, and the dry weather conditions, the fire spread rapidly, destroying nearly the entire shopping center.

Initial reports indicate no casualties, but almost all assets were destroyed.

Ambassador of Vietnam to Poland Ha Hoang Hai stated that the shopping center at 44 Marywilska is a major retail hub in Poland, housing about 1,400 stalls, with approximately one-third owned by Vietnamese merchants.

Immediately after the incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs directed the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland to dispatch a task force to the scene and work closely with local authorities and the Vietnamese community in Poland to assess the situation, offer support, and swiftly implement citizen protection measures.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Poland has published a hotline number for citizen protection, enabling Vietnamese nationals to report information and seek assistance. The embassy is prepared to assist with procedures involving local authorities, the shopping center management, firefighting forces, and insurers to minimize the consequences of the fire.

For those who lost important documents in the fire, the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland is ready to issue replacements promptly. The embassy has also urged Polish authorities to investigate the cause of the fire and ensure that the rights and interests of Vietnamese citizens are protected.

On the same morning, the Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Poland, Tran Tuan Anh, stated that the entire shopping center at 44 Marywilska was almost entirely destroyed by the fire. The association is actively coordinating with the embassy to gather information, console affected merchants, and initiate fundraising efforts for immediate support.

Tran Thuong