Many apartment buildings have been found with fire safety violations

According to Lam, between July 2014 and July 2018, only major blazes were reported, accounting for 0.96% of the total number of cases, but causing devastating consequences.

In those incidents, 35 people were killed, and 72 others were injured. They caused estimated damage of more than VND4.9 trillion (USD211 million), accounting for 76.2% of the total.

Among those, the fire at Viet Ha Company and Nippon Express Company at Hanoi’s Quang Minh Industrial Park in 2014 made a combined loss of VND215 billion.

The same case at Cay Dua Garment Ltd. Co. in Chau Thanh District, Ben Tre Province in 2015 saw damage of VND102 billion.

Most large blazes were brought about by slow reactions of people and authorised agencies. Fires were discovered but the alarm was raised late, making the work more challenging, Lam said.

Notably, up to 80% of fires were reported to the fire services at least ten minutes after they erupted. In some case, it was even up to 30 minutes late.

Major fires result in losses of around VND40 billion (USD1.73 million), the minister noted.

He also highlighted that thousands of constructions which had not yet been checked for fire safety had already been put into use.

The government has instructed the Ministry of Public Security to strictly punish violators. Investors are requested to deal with their violations before their projects are put into service.

Investors have to install fire safety equipment as well as assign staff for this during their work implementation process.

The name of investors who break fire safety regulations must be published on mass media. Besides, authorities also refuse to licence new projects for investors who still fail to handle fire prevent and control problems at their current projects.