Shoe Factory Fire in Vietnam Expands into Nearby Homes

Heavy rain did little to deter a massive fire that spread from a shoe factory Wednesday afternoon in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

At about 2 p.m. flames broke out at the factory in District 4 of the city, fed by flammable materials on hand. Despite the driving rain, flames soon spread into surrounding homes and businesses, local media report.

Attacking from multiple directions, firefighters equipped with more than 10 fire vehicles were able to extinguish the fire within several hours but remain on site to prevent rekindling.

Despite a large amount of property damage over an area of more than 100 square meters no casualties were reported. The cause remains under investigation.