Vietnamese student and neighbour rescue seven from burning Hanoi building
A student and a neighbour rescued seven people from a burning building in Hanoi on 24 March. The student later said he had “just fallen” when speaking to his mother, downplaying his actions to avoid worrying her.
- Seven family members rescued from a burning building in Hoang Mai ward, Hanoi on 24 March
- Student Nguyễn Lê Tú and neighbour Nguyen Tien Long risked their lives to pull people from the roof
- Tú later underplayed his heroism to his mother and received official praise for bravery
VIETNAM: Two men risked smoke and flames to rescue seven family members trapped on the roof of a burning building on 24 March in Hoang Mai ward, Hanoi, Vietnam.
The fire broke out on the second floor of a six-storey house in the afternoon, quickly spreading smoke through the building.
Screams for help were heard by construction workers nearby, who rushed to open the front door, release the smoke, and alert fire and rescue teams.
Students and neighbour spring into action
Among the rescuers was 20-year-old student Nguyễn Lê Tú.
According to AsianFeed, Tú was returning from the gym around 5:50 p.m. when he noticed smoke and flames rising from alley 218, Lĩnh Nam Street.
Hearing desperate voices, he abandoned his motorbike and ran straight to the burning house.
Recognising that people were still trapped, Tú climbed a shaky ladder onto a nearby construction roof and tore through a metal sheet to reach them.
Rescuing those trapped on the roof
Through thick smoke, Tú soaked his shirt in water to protect against flames and guided an elderly couple, two women, and several children to safety.
A neighbour, Nguyen Tien Long, assisted him in the rescue.
By the time fire crews arrived, all seven family members had been safely removed from the building.
The following morning, when Tú spoke to his mother over the phone about the scratches on his body, he simply said he had “just fallen,” choosing not to reveal the full extent of his actions to avoid worrying her.
“I didn’t dare tell her I rushed into the fire,” he said, adding that “anyone else would have done the same.”
Tú has since received official commendations for bravery, though he emphasised that his greatest reward was knowing everyone had survived.
