Traffic police have not yet fined vehicles with 4 to 9 seats that are not fully equipped with fire fighting equipment, only fined vehicles with 16 seats or more and specialized vehicles.

According to regulations, police are not allowed to stop vehicles on the road just to check fire prevention and fighting equipment. Photo: VNE

On January 11, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Nhat, Head of the Department of Propaganda and Dissemination of Laws on Traffic Order and Safety (Traffic Police Department) said that, according to the direction of the Ministry of Public Security, traffic police are not allowed to stop vehicles just to check fire prevention and fighting equipment. Traffic police nationwide are not allowed to obstruct the operation of vehicles, coordinate with fire prevention and fighting police to organize propaganda and dissemination of the provisions of Circular 57 on equipping fire prevention and fighting equipment on cars so that people can understand and implement.

In the coming time, the traffic police and fire police will increase inspections, reminders and propaganda for vehicle owners, however, they will not penalize vehicles with 4 to 9 seats that are not fully equipped with fire fighting equipment, only penalize vehicles with 16 seats or more and specialized vehicles.

Assessing the implementation of Circular 57, Major General Doan Viet Manh, Director of the Fire Police Department, said that most agencies, businesses and individuals, especially transport businesses, expressed their agreement. They said that the investment was not costly and did not affect business. In response to some objections, the Department will monitor and record opinions from vehicle owners to complete and provide specific instructions for people to implement.

Regarding people's concerns about fire extinguishers in cars in hot and humid climates like Vietnam, which can cause fires and explosions, Major General Manh said that fire extinguishers cannot burn. However, there could be cases of explosion due to the pressure in the tank increasing too high or the valve of the tank being damaged and no longer able to regulate the pressure.

According to the regulations of the Ministry of Public Security, for 4-9 seat vehicles, only reminders and propaganda will be given, but no fines will be imposed if there is no fire extinguisher.

Currently, the Fire Police Department has not recorded any fire extinguisher explosions inside cars or other motor vehicles. "Before each incident occurs, there must be an investigation and scientific analysis to come to accurate conclusions," said Major General Manh.

The head of the Fire Police Department affirmed that the issuance of Circular 57 is to raise awareness of fire prevention for managers and users of vehicles. The Department has thoroughly instructed officers and soldiers in the entire force not to participate in the business and trade of fire prevention equipment because it is an act that violates the law and regulations of the industry, except for units with functions according to regulations.

Police officers are not allowed to use cars just to inspect fire extinguishers. 2 Fire fighting equipment that cars need to have(See details)Graphics: Tien Thanh/VNE.

According to VNE