A fire at a mini apartment building in Hanoi (Photo: VGP) In an official dispatch signed on October 22, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhasked for further review of regulations, norms, and standards on multi-storybuildings, thus promptly addressing shortcomings and ensuring absolute safetyfor people and assets during the process of use.
The PM also requested regular inspection and supervision in order to evaluatethe responsibility of relevant units, organisations, and individuals; andstrictly handle violations (if any).
The Ministry of Construction was tasked with inspecting and promptlyevaluating, and issuing, within its jurisdiction, or proposing for the issuanceof legal documents amending, supplementing, and finalising regulations,standards, and norms on planning and design related to fire prevention andfirefighting for mini apartment buildings.
The ministry was demanded to closely work with the Ministry of Public Securityto urgently study and propose solutions to address the existing fire preventionand firefighting issues related to mini apartment buildings, and issueinstruction documents to ensure fire safety for other existing facilities.
It is also responsible for inspecting and strictly handling relevant violationsin accordance with legal provisions.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade was requested to focus oninspecting to detect works, facilities, and households that do not ensure firesafety in the use of electricity; and strengthening inspection and handling ofrelevant violations.
The Ministry of Information and Communications was demanded to promotecommunication activities to raise awareness of organisations and individuals incomplying with laws on planning, construction licencing, construction order,and management of fire and explosion safety for high-rise apartmentblocks, thus taking measures to prevent and minimise damages in case of incidents.
The PM underlined the importance for Chairpersons of the People's Committees ofprovinces and centrally-run cities to conduct a thorough assessment of allmulti-apartment blocks, thus detecting violations related to constructionregulations, especially those involving changes in the purpose of use andviolations of fire prevention and firefighting regulations and taking strictactions against any violations.
He also asked for feasible measures to immediately address limitations,especially in fire prevention and fighting.
For new construction projects, local agencies must strictly control compliancewith legal regulations on planning, construction, fire prevention and fighting,and manage the issuance of construction permits, and quality of constructionworks in line with regulations, towards putting an end to unauthorisedconstruction.
Ministries, sectors, and localities were requested to complete theabove-mentioned works and propose immediate and long-term tasks and solutionsto the Government and the PM in the fourth quarter of 2023./.
VNA
