HÀ NỘI – With the rescue of one person at 9.45am today, workers have saved all those who were trapped in a building collapse at No 43 Cửa Bắc Street in Hà Nội.

Of the eight people rescued in all, the condition of one person is serious.

Four people who were rescued first were Nguyễn Vĩnh Dua, 33; Trần Văn Dần, 30; Nguyễn Hồng Chiến, 17; and Nguyễn Văn Thắng, 18.

Initial reports by the Trúc Bạch Ward Police in Ba Đình District said the building housed the Nem Xuân Dần Restaurant owned by Trần Anh Tuấn, 52, a resident at No 63 Hàm Long, Hoàn Kiếm District in Hà Nội.

The 30sq.m house had three floors. The first and second floors housed the Nem Xuân Dần Restaurant. The third floor had the bedrooms of Tuấn’s employees.

The building collapsed at about 3.30am today. When the building collapsed, six male and two female employees were sleeping inside.

The structure reportedly collapsed because it was very old, and almost did not have a proper foundation.

A neighbour, Nguyễn Thị Vân, living in house number 41, was re-building her old house and had got its foundation dug up, possibly affecting the stability of building number 43.

Vân had sought permission to rebuild her house, and had been granted it via a document issued on August 2 this year by the Ba Đình District Urban Management Division.

Chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee Nguyễn Đức Chung asked concerned organisations to inspect all old houses located near building number 43 on Cửa Bắc Street to help residents avoid any danger.

Earlier on August 3, at a meeting of the municipal People’s Council, Chung answered questions related to old houses and residential quarters in the city, in which he emphasised the responsibility of local authorities in ensuring residents’ safety. – VNS