Cao Van Hung has two prior convictions for robbery and theft.
According to authorities, Hung was apprehended by the Hanoi Police at approximately midnight on December 19 as the suspect responsible for setting fire to the cafe.
Preliminary findings reveal that on the evening of December 18, Hung visited the cafe to drink beer and got into a conflict with another group of patrons. The dispute escalated, and Hung was physically assaulted by the group. Angered by the incident, Hung hired a taxi to Co Nhue Market to purchase a plastic bucket and gasoline.
Around 11 p.m., Hung returned to the cafe, poured gasoline inside, and set it ablaze. The fire quickly spread, engulfing the ground floor, including motorcycles and other items, and blocking the main entrance. Trapped inside, many people fled to the upper floors, resulting in a devastating outcome: 11 deaths and four injuries. Hung was later arrested by the police.
At 11:15 p.m. on December 18, Hanoi Police received a report of a fire at a cafe on Pham Van Dong Street, Bac Tu Liem District. Firefighting teams were dispatched, and by 11:40 p.m., the fire was under control. Five people were rescued, four of whom were injured and hospitalized, while 11 others were found dead at the scene.
Ms. Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, and local leaders visited victims of the cafe fire, treated at E Hospital on the morning of December 19. The hospital reported treating four patients: two with lung injuries in intensive care and two with minor injuries expected to be discharged soon.
Secretary Bui Thi Minh Hoai affirmed the city’s support, urging the hospital to provide the best care and local authorities to assist victims materially and emotionally.
Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long and Hanoi Chairman Tran Sy Thanh also visited the site and victims. Hanoi Chairman Tran Sy Thanh directed agencies to support affected families and promote fire safety measures, including early warning systems, to prevent future incidents.
By midday, Hanoi Police confirmed that the 11 victims of the cafe fire had been transferred to the morgue at Hospital No.198. The victims included four women and seven men. So far, the identities of one female and two male victims have been verified.
The female victim was identified as D.T.N., 43, from Y Yen District, Nam Dinh Province. The male victims were P.Q.T., 24, from Le Thanh Commune, My Duc District, Hanoi, and P.T.C., 39, from Nam Son Ward, Bac Ninh City, Bac Ninh Province.
Two of the identified victims have already been returned to their families for burial. Efforts to identify the remaining victims are ongoing alongside measures to address the aftermath of the incident.
Hanoi Police noted that the condition of the deceased makes identification challenging, requiring scientific methods to ensure accuracy before coordinating with families for funeral arrangements.
