The Carina Plaza fire brought grave difficulties to the developer Hung Thanh Co., Ltd., even the threat of bankruptcy, and the leader of the company has gone to hospital after being summoned by the police.

Carina Plaza’s developer might be facing bankruptcy

577 Investment Corporation (NBB) is the key shareholder of Hung Thanh with 95 per cent of the capital, while Creed Group, a Japanese company is the strategic partner pouring investment into NBB’s buildings. What will these two giants do to take responsibility for the Carina Plaza fire, which killed 13 people, injured a hundred, and burnt over 150 vehicles?

Nguyen Minh Thong, leader of Ho Chi Minh City’s investigation agency, said that Hung Thanh had hired Saigon Real Estate JSC (SEJCO) to manage and operate the building, and Gia Khang Security Company to keep the vehicles and ensure security in the building.

“We want to meet and work with Nguyen Van Tung, director of Hung Thanh, but he has been in hospital since March 25. We convened the meeting, but he but he did not attend, citing health issues. However, someone needs to take responsibility and be held accountable at court,” Thong confirmed at the press conference this morning.

He also announced the fire broke out from a scooter in the basement at 1.15 AM on March 23, and spread fast to the surrounding vehicles, lasted for 15 minutes, and caused a blackout in the building. At the time, there was no one on the scene. “If there had been a security guard to detect the fire and use the small fire extinguishers, the fire could have been put out,” added Thong.

Nguyen Sy Quang, chief of the Ho Chi Minh City Police, said that they detected violations in the fire prevention and fighting equipment and system at Carina Plaza. They have determined three reasons behind the tragedy, including delayed alarms, outdated fire prevention and fighting systems, and blocked exits.

The Ho Chi Minh City Fire Prevention Department has checked the building 22 times since it was put into operation in 2012. It was penalised four times for seven mistakes.

Additionally, the Carina Plaza fire could drive the developer Hung Thanh into bankruptcy, as its charter capital is only VND41.2 billion ($1.8 million) while the company had to spend heavily paying compensations and supporting residents to find other accommodation and fix the damaged building.

Policeman suspended over Carina Plaza blaze

The HCMC Fire Fighting and Prevention Department has asked its District 8 division to suspend a lieutenant from duty to facilitate an ongoing investigation of last Friday’s inferno at a Carina Plaza residential block in the district.

The policeman was at the time in charge of fire fighting and prevention in the district’s Ward 16, where three Carina Plaza residential blocks are located, news website Dan Tri reports.

The department also summoned other individuals for questioning.

The blaze killed 13 people and injured 91 others. It also destroyed 150 motorcycles and five cars and damaged 10 other cars.

Colonel Nguyen Sy Quang, spokesman of the HCMC Police Department, confirmed the filing of charges against the inferno which resulted from violations of fire prevention and fighting rules. The prosecution is aimed at finding those responsible for the deadly fire.

He added the blaze was caused by a motorcycle in the parking area of the building, and ruled out the possibility that an explosive device had been used to ignite the fire.

Ho Chi Minh City to issue list of unsafe apartments within days

At the press conference held today at the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, lieutenant-colonel Nguyen Van Bang, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Fire Prevention Department, said that his department is cooperating with the committee to issue a directive to ensure fire safety at apartment and high-rise building projects.

Ho Chi Minh City will take strong action against projects that are deemed unsafe

According to Ho Chi Minh City Fire Prevention Department, four main contents will be implemented, including a review of fire prevention in all apartment and high-rise buildings in the city, compile a public list of all buildings, categorising them as safe, moderately safe, and unsafe.

The directive will also issue a fire prevention handbook to all families living in the related projects and lay down action plans in the event of a fire.

Especially, the directive will heavily penalise developers who are found to be too slow in improving their fire prevention system.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Fire Prevention Department, the initial inspection results showed that seven high-rise buildings in the city where developers have permitted residents to move in have subpar fire prevention systems.

"These buildings will have to thoroughly resolve the existing problems to safeguard the lives of residents," he said.

Vo Van Hoan, chief officer of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, said that despite the large number of inspections on fire prevention, they proved ultimately ineffective.

"The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee will widely publicise the list of projects which are found unsafe to inform buyers and residents can deciding to buy an accommodation or move in,” Hoan said.

VIR/SGT