Haunting stories of two girls in a snail restaurant fire that killed four people

After receiving first aid at Saigon General Hospital, the two victims were transferred to Gia Dinh People's Hospital for treatment, including Ms. Tran Thi Thuy T. (born 2004) and Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc K. (born 2007). Currently, both victims are temporarily stable and are being closely monitored at the Intensive Care and Anti-Poison Department.

Two victims of the snail restaurant fire recount the moment the fire broke out -0

Two victims of the snail restaurant fire recount the moment the fire broke out -1 — Both victims are temporarily stable and are being closely monitored at the Intensive Care and Anti-Poison Department of Gia Dinh People's Hospital.

Dr. Huynh Quang Dai, Head of the Department of Intensive Care and Anti-Poison, Gia Dinh People's Hospital, and Head of the Department of Emergency Resuscitation and Anti-Poison, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, said that after a bronchoscopy, doctors discovered that Ms. Tran Thi Thuy T. had lung damage due to inhaling smoke with a lot of soot in the airways and second-degree burns to the respiratory mucosa.

Ms. T. also suffered a fractured shoulder and 4-5 broken ribs. Currently, Ms. T. is receiving respiratory support with high-flow oxygen therapy, nebulized bronchodilators and expectorants, and is being monitored for the risk of progressive respiratory failure and pneumothorax. Orthopedic and thoracic surgeons are also closely monitoring the chest and shoulder injuries.

Meanwhile, Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc K. suffered less lung damage and first-degree burns to her airways. She was given oxygen and bronchodilator nebulizers. Because her damaged airways are susceptible to secondary infections, she was monitored and treated with antibiotics for several days. If she progresses well, Ms. K. may be discharged soon.

Sharing about the time of her escape, Ms. T. said: “Because of the broken shoulder bone and 4-5 ribs, I was in a lot of pain. At around 4am, a woman sleeping in the same room went to the bathroom and discovered the fire so she shouted. We ran to the window but the smoke and heat were so thick, we couldn’t breathe so we had to jump down. I put my hands up to support myself when I landed so my head wasn’t injured.”

Ms. K. shared: “Now I feel better, less panicked. At that time, we were sleeping, heard the cry for help, panicked, ran to the window and jumped down. Then we were taken to the emergency room.”

Dr. Huynh Quang Dai said that respiratory burns, CO and HCN poisoning are very common conditions in fires. Hot gas can burn the upper airway, leading to swelling and obstruction; soot sticks to the trachea and bronchi, causing lung damage.

Dr. Huynh Quang Dai recommends that in case of fire or explosion, the most important thing is to stay calm and find a way out. Smoke and soot often rise, so it is necessary to protect the airway with a wet towel covering the nose and mouth, and crawl or crouch low to move out.

If trapped in a room, open the windows to let the smoke escape, use wet towels to seal the cracks to prevent smoke from entering; absolutely do not jump from high places without a mattress or safety equipment below. If burned, soak the affected area in clean water and quickly call an ambulance or fire department.

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