The Chairman of the People's Committee at district and commune levels must take responsibility if he allows karaoke establishments to operate without permission.

Be proactive in fire prevention

In fact, for the casesFire and explosion at karaoke service businessIn recent times, the main cause has been determined to be that the owners of the establishments do not strictly comply with the conditions for ensuring fire prevention and fighting safety at the establishments. When a fire or explosion occurs, the warning and fire fighting equipment does not work effectively or does not work at all. Meanwhile, karaoke service establishments are places where many types of flammable materials such as mattresses, foam, soundproof foam, high-capacity electrical equipment are concentrated, so when a fire occurs, it is very easy for the fire to spread and become large.

In addition, to attract customers, most karaoke service businesses install large advertising signs that cover the balcony. When constructing and renovating into a karaoke room, the windows are sealed, making it difficult to escape, release smoke, toxic gases, and organize fire fighting in case of fire. This leads to the risk of causing serious damage to people and property.

Authorities inspect fire prevention and fighting equipment at a karaoke business. Photo: Dang Cuong

It must also be admitted that, for the above-mentioned problems to occur, there is a part of the responsibility of the state management agency for karaoke service business establishments, from the stages of construction, licensing, monitoring, management, inspection, guidance...

To minimize the risk of fire and the consequences of fire at karaoke service establishments, on September 16, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 7105 to provincial departments, branches, sectors, organizations and People's Committees of districts, cities and towns. In particular, the Provincial People's Committee requested units to continue to disseminate and propagate to all cadres, party members, workers, civil servants, employees in agencies, units and all people in the area to strictly implement regulations and instructions on fire and explosion prevention and control; Proactively learn and grasp legal knowledge on fire prevention and fighting, skills in handling fire and explosion situations, escape skills on the media, communication, internet...

Scene of the fire at the Avatar Hotel - Karaoke - Bar complex in Vinh city in 2019. Photo courtesy of Nghe An Newspaper

Hold the leader accountable

The Provincial People's Committee also requested the Provincial Police to continue to direct and mobilize forces to urgently and effectively complete the peak period of inspection and examination of compliance with regulations on ensuring safety in fire prevention, fire fighting and rescue for karaoke service establishments in the province. Strictly handle cases of violations of the law on fire prevention and fire fighting, resolutely suspend or suspend the operation of violating establishments.

Organize re-inspections of existing establishments that violate fire prevention and fighting regulations, review security and order conditions for licensed establishments... Require karaoke service establishments to strictly comply with fire prevention and fighting safety conditions according to regulations, ensuring that 100% of establishments must have at least 2 escape routes. In cases where advertising signs are installed improperly, affecting fire prevention, fighting, rescue, and obstructing escape routes and smoke evacuation, the establishment must be required to immediately correct the situation...

The Provincial People's Committee also requested the Department of Culture and Sports to immediately review and inspect the licensing of karaoke service establishments in the area... Request the Department of Construction to strictly manage investment and construction activities, direct affiliated units and localities to strictly carry out appraisal and construction licensing for projects subject to appraisal and design on fire prevention and fighting, especially karaoke service establishments...

In addition, the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns must also organize inspections of the operations of karaoke service establishments in the area, and strictly handle establishments that violate the law on security and order, fire prevention and fighting. For licensed karaoke service establishments that do not ensure the conditions prescribed by law during their operations, they must request a temporary suspension of business operations to correct the violations, or revoke their operating licenses according to regulations.

Currently, the licensing of karaoke services has been decentralized to localities, so districts, cities and towns need to tighten the licensing of this service. Absolutely do not grant karaoke service business licenses to establishments that do not fully ensure conditions of security, order, fire prevention and fighting, etc.

An emergency exit at a karaoke business before and after inspection by authorities. Photo: Dang Cuong

To ensure effective fire prevention and fighting, the Provincial People's Committee also requested localities to continue to promote the movement of building a mass movement for fire prevention and fighting; Build and replicate models to ensure fire prevention and fighting safety, especially the models of "Inter-family fire prevention and fighting safety groups" and "Public fire fighting points" in areas with karaoke bars to promote the role of the masses in participating in fire fighting right from the "golden time" (no more than 5 minutes from the time the fire breaks out)...

The Provincial People's Committee also affirmed that the Chairman of the District People's Committee and the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee must be responsible if they allow karaoke service establishments to operate without a license in their area or have a license but do not ensure operating conditions, especially conditions on security, order and fire prevention and fighting safety. In particular, they must be responsible before the law if the establishment does not ensure conditions on security, order and fire prevention and fighting safety, the Public Security agency has issued a document recommending the temporary suspension of operations to correct violations or revoke the license but does not comply, allowing a fire to occur at the establishment.