A coffee shop in Thu Duc caught fire on the morning of the 6th day of Tet (Lunar New Year), causing extensive damage and revealing an unexpected cause.

On the morning of the 6th day of the Lunar New Year, the "House by the Stream" cafe unexpectedly caught fire, burning down the famous classic-style space. The fire caused significant property damage and shocked many people when the unexpected cause was revealed.

A terrifying moment: Smoke and flames engulfed "The House by the Stream".

Around 9:30 AM on February 22nd (the 6th day of the Lunar New Year), while people were still happily enjoying the last days of the holiday, a thick column of black smoke suddenly rose from the "Nha Ben Suoi" (House by the Stream) cafe located deep in an alley off Linh Dong Street, Thu Duc City. According to witnesses at the scene, the fire broke out fiercely in the beverage preparation area, then quickly engulfed the decorative displays.

In an instant, the tranquil, relaxing space with its Northwestern Vietnamese style was engulfed in flames. Because the restaurant used many unique materials such as wood, rattan, and dried flowers for decoration, the fire quickly ignited, creating a column of smoke dozens of meters high. Dozens of diners and staff panicked, shouting and fleeing to safety, creating a chaotic scene in the middle of a residential area. Many local residents tried to use small fire extinguishers to control the initial blaze, but all efforts were unsuccessful against the intense heat of the fire.

Authorities worked through the night to control the tornado.

Immediately after receiving the report, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department's Fire Prevention and Rescue Unit (PC07) dispatched several specialized fire trucks and more than 20 officers and soldiers to the scene. Because the restaurant was located in a deep alley, deploying fire hoses proved difficult. However, with their expertise, the soldiers divided into multiple teams, simultaneously extinguishing the fire directly and spraying water to prevent it from spreading to neighboring houses.

By approximately 11:00 AM the same day, the fire was essentially completely under control. At the scene, all the wooden furniture, tables, chairs, and the two-story buildings used for hosting parties were burned to ashes, leaving only blackened metal frames. Although the property damage was significant, fortunately, there were no casualties. Representatives of the Noọng Ơi coffee shop and Nhà Bên Suối restaurant subsequently officially announced a temporary suspension of operations to address the consequences, and committed to reviewing all electrical safety and fire prevention procedures before reopening with a new look.

Unexpected cause revealed from a "weak point" area

Although authorities are still sealing off the scene for a thorough investigation, initial assessments suggest the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit or system overload in the beverage preparation area. Significantly, this area contained numerous high-power devices operating continuously during the Lunar New Year holiday to serve a surge in customers. The combination of an overloaded electrical system and flammable materials like wood and plastic furniture created a disastrous fire scenario on the very first day of the new year.

The fire at this popular cafe serves as a costly wake-up call for food and beverage businesses regarding fire safety, especially during holidays when operating at maximum capacity. Investing in aesthetics and decorative wooden elements to attract customers for photo opportunities is necessary, but without a comprehensive safety system and a professional on-site response team, the price to pay can sometimes be the entire investment built over many years.