A fire broke out on the 25th floor of the Phuc Thinh apartment building, located in Chợ Quán, Ho Chi Minh City, on the morning of August 23. The blaze started around 8 AM in a 60 square meter apartment in Block B, approximately 300 meters from the Chữ Y Bridge. At the time of the incident, the apartment was unoccupied.

The fire alarm sounded, causing many residents to grab their children and pets and rush to the emergency exits. Anh Khải, a 23-year-old resident, reported that he saw thick black smoke from his window and quickly called his family to evacuate. He managed to escape from the 22nd floor with two cats and his phone.

As residents crowded into the narrow emergency stairwell, some panicked and began to shout. Emergency services responded promptly, dispatching three fire trucks and dozens of firefighters to the scene. The firefighters worked alongside local authorities to access the locked apartment and managed to control the fire within approximately 15 minutes.

While there were no reported injuries, many belongings within the apartment were destroyed. Initial investigations suggest that the fire was caused by a malfunction in the ceiling-mounted air conditioning unit. The Phuc Thinh apartment complex consists of three blocks, each 25 stories high, housing a total of 376 apartments, and has been operational since 2004.