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The fireplace that tore via the nine-story Hanoi house constructing this week and killed 56 folks has make clear Vietnam’s lax hearth security requirements.
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang has ordered an investigation, together with more durable rules for smaller house buildings, in keeping with a authorities assertion.
One tenant whose household has been dwelling in a tiny 30-square meter (323-square ft) unit in a five-story constructing for a few years mentioned that after Wednesday’s hearth within the Thanh Xuan part of Hanoi, he checked the hearth prevention system in his constructing and realized there was none.
“Previous to the tragedy, I had already studied our constructing structure and the encircling space to see tips on how to escape or tips on how to soar to a neighboring home if a hearth happens,” mentioned the person, who requested anonymity for safety causes on Friday.
“Our constructing doesn’t correctly equip tenants with any hearth prevention tools.”
His constructing is situated in a small alley in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh district. The street is so slim that it could be unimaginable for hearth vehicles to get to the constructing if a hearth had been to interrupt out.
Additionally, there aren’t any hydrants close to the constructing, neither is it outfitted with hoses.
He mentioned he has grave issues for his household’s security, however the landlord doesn’t appear to care.
“After the incident, I’ve been ready to see whether or not the owner or the corporate managing the constructing would challenge any alerts or present any firefighting tools however haven’t obtained any notification, warning, or any tools in any respect,” he mentioned.
Residing in such an unsafe house isn’t a selection, he mentioned. It’s the solely place they will afford.
“For folks migrating from a rural space to town like us, we don’t have many choices,” mentioned the person. I’ve all the time had a want to reside in a spot protected from hearth and floods, however our present incomes solely enable us to hire out right here within the slums.”
Mini-apartments
Hanoi is residence to round 2,000 related mini-apartments, whereas Ho Chi Minh Metropolis within the south has round 4,200 of them, in keeping with media stories.
Many in his neighborhood are in worse form than his, the person mentioned. He as soon as inspected a seven-story constructing within the district the place his good friend lives.
“The owner advised me that they’d constructed the seven-story constructing illegally however the native authorities didn’t know,” he mentioned. “From the skin, the constructing seems to be like a phenomenal home, however if you enter, you’ll discover that it’s divided into many small rooms for college kids and low-income folks to hire.”
“Mini-apartment” isn’t an authorised class of domicile beneath Vietnamese regulation, Hoang Anh Tuan, the Director Common of the Ministry of Building’s Administration of Building Administration advised the native Pioneer (Tien Phong) newspaper.
The director common of the ministry’s Division of Science, Know-how & Atmosphere, Vu Ngoc Anh, mentioned that the mini-apartments had operated equally to residential house buildings, however with out hearth and security techniques required by regulation.
Models in related buildings can be found to hire everywhere in the metropolis. A Fb group referred to as “Renting Homes, Homes for Lease, Mini-Flats, and Low-cost Rental Rooms in Hanoi” advertises a newly opened 27 room mini-apartment constructing within the metropolis’s Nam Tu Liem district.
However the one who posted the advert wouldn’t reply to RFA’s questions concerning hearth prevention and evacuation measures.
What to do
The person who lived in a mini-apartment mentioned he and his spouse have mentioned hearth prevention measures and agreed on a plan within the occasion of a fireplace.
“I’ve instructed my household on tips on how to use electrical energy and fuel or what we must always do when a hearth happens,” mentioned the person. “For instance, we should unplug electrical home equipment after use or all the time test whether or not there’s a fuel leak.”
The household has additionally mapped out the native space and developed plans for what to do with the youngsters and their valuables.
“If a hearth breaks out, we should keep calm and determine one of the best answer for our household,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the constructing’s electrical system is overtapped, and with so many individuals dwelling in a cramped house, the flooring are cluttered.
“I believe if a hearth breaks out, it could be difficult for the folks there to flee, and they might be in a scenario much like the Thanh Xuan hearth.”
Fireplace security
After the Thanh Xuan catastrophe, the demand for hearth prevention tools has sharply elevated. The worth for some objects has even doubled, sources advised RFA Vietnamese.
Nguyen Dinh Ha, a resident dwelling within the upscale Vinhome Instances Metropolis constructing in Vinh Tuy district, mentioned that his and different newly constructed residential buildings within the capital needed to fulfill town’s hearth prevention necessities earlier than they had been handed over to end-users.
Subsequently, these residential buildings should not topic to town’s upcoming examination of fireplace prevention work at multi-family buildings.
He urged that town take note of the hearth prevention of homes in small alleys and mini flats as their development didn’t observe town’s requirements like initiatives on residential constructing improvement.
He additionally really helpful putting in hearth prevention tools in older residential buildings to allow them to fulfill the present requirements.
Minh Tuan, a Hanoian who moved out from a residential constructing in Me Tri ward, Nam Tu Liem district, advised RFA that after the lethal incident in Thanh Xuan, his constructing had launched stiffer hearth prevention measures, requiring residents to not recharge their electrical automobiles after 11:00 p.m.
Translated by Anna Vu. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.
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