The scene of the fire. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Khánh

HƯNG YÊN — Five people were killed and two others injured in a fire in Ao Village, Minh Hải Commune, Văn Lâm District in the northern province of Hưng Yên.

The fire took place on Saturday afternoon at a recycling workshop and was extinguished early Sunday morning, according to the provincial police.

Most of the victims are ethnic Mông people from the northern mountainous province of Sơn La.

Authorities are currently working to identify the victims, while the cause of the fire is under investigation by the provincial police.

On Saturday afternoon and into the night, the victims were rescued from the fire and taken to medical facilities.

Phố Nối General Hospital in Hưng Yên Province received the deceased and injured victims. Due to their serious condition, the injured victims were transferred to a higher level medical facility for treatment.

Sồng A Chống, 30, from Quang Huy Town, Phù Yên District, Sơn La Province, told a Vietnam News Agency correspondent that his two younger brothers aged 26 and 18 both work at the workshop, but neither could be contacted.

He supplied police with necessary information to help identify the victims.

The fire broke out at around 1.30pm on Saturday, when many workers were at the factory. Some escaped, but several of the workers were trapped inside. — VNS