At least 14 people have died and three others have been injured after a fire broke out in an apartment building in the center of the capital Hanoi, Vietnamese state media reported.

The fire “occurred around 00:30 (local time; around 20:30 yesterday Thursday Greek time)”, is “big”, and resulted in “many explosions”, according to the Vietnam News news agency.

At 06:20 (02:20 Greek time), the death toll had reached 14 dead and three wounded, according to the same source, which cited local officials.

The building is at the end of an alley about two meters wide, Vietnam News added, clarifying that apartments on floors were rented.

According to press information, a shop selling and repairing electric bicycles operated on the ground floor.

Periikos, who asked not to be named, told AFP she heard “explosions” that sounded like “fireworks”. “I thought there was some sort of collision, or that something fell through a window. I went down and saw the fire,” he added.

“Many neighbors ran out of the alley, passing in front of other people’s houses. We were very scared,” she added.