Vinh City conducts a comprehensive inspection of fire safety measures in mini-apartment buildings.

Vinh City has the largest number of mini-apartments and boarding houses in the province. However, fire prevention and control in these areas still faces many shortcomings and limitations, such as many mini-apartments and boarding houses being built in narrow alleys with difficult access, making it hard for firefighting and rescue vehicles to reach them; many apartments have enclosed balconies, and lack fire prevention and control equipment…

In Hong Son ward, Vinh City, there is currently one mini-apartment building and three rental houses spanning three floors with approximately 80 rooms. Following directives from the city and the Provincial Police, local authorities conducted fire safety inspections at these locations on September 14-15.

At the Tay Linh mini-apartment building, constructed in 2010 in Block 10, Hong Son Ward, observations show that it has 7 floors with 13 apartments. Although the corridors on each floor are quite open and not completely enclosed, there are still some potential fire hazards such as poorly connected electrical systems, balconies of the rooms completely sealed with iron bars, and fire extinguishers being obscured by furniture in some areas.

At Mr. Nguyen Bui Thai's three-story boarding house in Hong Son ward, although fire extinguishers are available on each floor, the hallways are cluttered with potted plants, obstructing access and hindering rescue efforts in case of a fire. Furthermore, some apartments are used for selling flammable goods such as clothing and household items, which are not neatly organized. Electrical wiring is also poorly done, posing a fire hazard. At Mr. Nguyen Thanh Thuy's boarding house, the basement parking area is quite disorganized, and while there is an electric vehicle charging station in the basement, safety standards are not met.

Following inspections of these mini-apartments and high-rise rental rooms, Hong Son ward has issued warnings and obtained signed commitments from the owners, requiring them to immediately supplement fire prevention and fighting equipment. Residents are also urged to proactively purchase fire prevention and escape equipment and acquire the necessary skills in case of an emergency. If the establishments fail to comply with the regulations, the ward will propose that the city and relevant authorities take action in accordance with the law.

Ben Thuy Ward also has many mini-apartment buildings and high-rise boarding houses in the city, concentrated around Vinh University on streets such as Nguyen Kiem and Vo Thi Sau... According to statistics, the ward has 3 large apartment buildings: Gia Thinh Phat, Trung Do Cooperative, and TECCO Ben Thuy, in addition to about 10-12 mini-apartment buildings and high-rise boarding houses for students, workers, and families to rent.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Huan, Chairman of the Ben Thuy Ward People's Committee, stated: Due to its proximity to Vinh University, the locality has a large number of people renting houses and apartments. Therefore, fire safety inspections and reviews are conducted regularly by the local authorities and relevant city agencies. For establishments under the ward's jurisdiction that violate regulations, the ward will issue a report and take action according to regulations. For apartment buildings and other structures outside the ward's jurisdiction, the local authorities will report to the city and relevant agencies to take timely measures to improve fire safety.

Reportedly, on September 14th, the Vinh City Police force and the Ben Thuy ward authorities also launched an inspection of fire safety measures at apartment buildings and boarding houses in the area, reminding owners of establishments that had not strictly implemented fire safety measures.

There are currently no accurate statistics on the number of mini-apartments and high-rise boarding houses in Nghe An province. However, based on field surveys, these buildings are mainly concentrated in Vinh City, in wards such as Ben Thuy, Truong Thi, and Ha Huy Tap… mostly around universities, where there is a large number of student tenants, and in central areas. Currently, functional forces and ward/commune authorities are conducting inspections of fire safety measures in these areas.

Previously, the Nghe An Provincial Police Department issued Official Document No. 3031/CAT-PV01 dated September 13th regarding strengthening fire prevention and control work in apartment buildings and boarding houses in the province, especially after several major fires occurred recently.

The Provincial Police Department directed the PC07 Department and the police departments of districts, cities, and towns to conduct a thorough review, basic investigation, and comprehensive inspection of fire prevention and rescue work in 100% of apartment buildings, mini-apartment buildings, and boarding houses with three or more floors in the province.

Inspect the functionality, operational skills, and maintenance of fire prevention and rescue systems; inspect the common escape routes of apartment buildings, boarding houses, and the rear areas of each household (in cases with balconies, resolutely instruct that emergency escape routes be opened).

Promote and encourage households to purchase additional equipment for firefighting and evacuation, such as gas masks, rope ladders, and slow descent ropes, to proactively respond to fire and explosion incidents.

The Management Board, the building management unit, and the owners of mini-apartments are required to assign security guards to be on duty at night in the basement (or ground floor where residents park their vehicles) of the apartment building to ensure security and order, and to inspect the fire safety system. Charging car or motorcycle batteries in the basement area of ​​the apartment building is strictly prohibited.