Berlin (VNA) – A fire ripped through the Dong Xuan Ceཧntre, a major centre of overseas Vietnamese in Berlin, Germany on May 11.

Although no fatalities were reported, total economic losses have been estimated at millions of Euros. The blaze broke out in an Indian-owned warehouse that is rented by 23 traders, including Indian, Pakistani, Turkish, and the majority Vietnamese. Up to 12 Vietnamese traders had goods destroyed in the fire and many suffered damage amounting to hundreds of thousands of Euros. Many of them faced a complete loss as they had not insured their goods. The fire was suspected to have started from oxyacetylene welding in the store, resulting in gas explosions which engulfed the entire facility. The city’s rescue force, fire department, specialised vehicles and helicopters arrived to tackle the incident. However, flammable goods, high winds and difficulties entering the warehouse hindered efforts to stamp out the fire. The rescue work was ongoing by mid-night of May 11. Other buildings and warehouses in the centre are still open. After learning about the incident, Ambassador Doan Xuan Hung and officials from the Vietnamese Embassy in Germany visited the site and offered sympathy to traders affected by the fire. Covering an area of more than 40,000 sqm with four commercial blocs, the Dong Xuan centre is home to more than 4,000 Vietnamese nationals and has become a popular place for the Vietnamese community in Germany. The market stocks goods including textiles, electronics and groceries.-VNA