A fire in a cafe in Hanoi killed eleven people on Wednesday night, authorities said.

The Vietnam Ministry of Public Security said on Thursday the police have arrested a man suspected of starting the fire after authorities responded to reports of a blaze at 11:00 pm (1600 GMT), where many people were feared trapped.

"The police suspect that the cafe was [deliberately] burned down and ... have arrested the perpetrator," Hanoi police said in a statement.

According to the police, the man admitted to lighting a fire using gasoline on the ground floor of the three-story cafe. The incident occurred after he had an argument with seven customers.

Intense fire hindered rescue attempts

Witnesses told local media that the blaze was initially too intense for any kind of rescue attempt.

"We were shouting for the victims trapped, but we heard no [one] ask for help from inside the building," a witness said.

"The fire blocked all the exits. The smell of gasoline was strong," another witness said.

Authorities said they did manage to rescue seven people, with four of them hospitalized. Two people suffering from smoke inhalation are said to be in a serious condition.

ss/jsi (AFP, Reuters)