HANOI – Vietnamese authorities have arrested the owner of a karaoke bar in a fire that killed 32 people earlier this month, police said Saturday.
Nine days ago, a three-story entertainment complex north of the commercial hub of Ho Chi Minh City was engulfed in flames.
Police said 17 people were injured, many having broken bones as the flames forced them to jump from roofs.
Binh Duong provincial police confirmed in a statement on Saturday that the bar’s owner, Le Anh Xuan, 42, was arrested a day ago and faces criminal charges in connection with violating fire regulations.
Police added that he will be detained for four months while the investigation continues.
Fifteen of the injured have been discharged, but the two most severely injured are still being treated.
The bodies of the 32 people killed were handed over to their families.
Sixty people were inside the bar in 30 rooms when the fire broke out.
Authorities initially believed the fire was caused by an electrical short, but said the bar had passed all fire safety standards in the last three years of checks.
Vietnam has seen several fires in recent years, including two at a karaoke bar in Hanoi, and the prime minister has ordered inspections of all high-risk venues. AFPMore
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/owner-of-vietnam-bar-arrested-after-blaze-that-killed-32 Vietnamese bar owner arrested after fire that killed 32