VietNamNet Bridge – Only 3 per cent of public places surveyed in Ha Noi meet fire fighting and prevention regulations – including hospitals, schools and nightclubs, the city's fire police department said.

Firefighters and police officers hold a fire drill at the Vincom City Tower in Ha Noi. (Photo: VNS)

Of the 924 premises checked by the Ha Noi Fire Prevention and Fighting Police Department, only 30 met fire prevention and fighting regulations.

Of the remainder, 233 had designated fire fighting teams but their fire prevention and fighting systems were substandard or not working.

"Most of the buildings' management boards hesitated to spend money on fire fighting systems, even though they were aware of their importance," department deputy head Nguyen Dinh Binh said.

The inspection included high-rise buildings, residential quarters, schools, hospitals, cinemas and discotheques.

The survey followed serious fires in the city last year, including one in a restaurant in Lac Long Quan alley in Tay Ho District in January, in which one person died, and another in a 14-storey building on Tran Duy Hung Street in May.

Binh said one of the problems was the inadequate fines which ranged from VND50,000-20 million (US$2.5-1,000), depending on the circumstances.

"I think we should raise the level of fines five-fold," he said.

After the survey, police fined 23 premises for violating fire safety regulations a total of VND40 million ($2,000).

The most common violations were substandard emergency exits, and lighting and automatic alarm systems that did not work.

Violators included Ba Vi Hospital and the Hale Nightclub in Nguyen Du Ward, Hai Ba Trung District, where in both cases fire fighting systems failed to work.

Deputy director Nguyen Ha of Ba Vi Hospital in Ha Noi's outlying district of the same name said the hospital had never had a fire so the fire fighting systems were not used.

"We do not use them so we do not know whether they work or not," he said.

Binh said about 60 per cent of fires were caused by electricity short circuits.

He said the department had proposed that Ha Noi Police issue detailed regulations on fire prevention and fighting and circulate them to building investors and management boards.

"Residential building managers will also be asked to spread knowledge on fire prevention and escape routes and run fire drills for residents," he said.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News