The capital city is considering issuing a ban on all karaoke bar services until the year end, Nguyen Duc Chung, Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee, said.

Hanoi chairman Nguyen Duc Chung

The city mayor made his statement while seeking counsel on the matter from lawyers at a meeting on Monday in the aftermath of a deadly fire that broke out in a karaoke bar in Hanoi’s Cau Giay District killing 13 people early this month. 

The monthly meeting was held to discuss the capital city’s socioeconomic development in the past year and set the plan for next year. 

Reviewing the city’s fire prevention and firefighting activities, Chung said although authorities had intensified necessary measures to cope with the issue, serious explosions and fires occurring in recent months had caused immense damage to localities. 

Chung said a temporary halt on karaoke bar services was to enable authorities to conduct a check on all karaoke bars based on key safety standards, including those relating to rooms, lights, advertising boards, and particularly firefighting accessories and emergency exits. 

He said the city would ensure all large, obstructive advertising boards were removed. The city would also plan to take legal action against entertainment facilities that intentionally violate fire safety regulations. 

 “Those who violate laws at karaoke bar services would be strictly punished without any exception,” the city mayor said. 

So far, this year, six fires have broken out at karaoke bars in the capital city, causing huge property loss. 

Also on Monday, HCM City authority was intensifying surveillance of firefighting measures throughout the city. 

Colonel Le Tan Buu, director of the city’s Police of Fire Prevention and Fight, said a campaign would be launched next week to put all night clubs, bars, karaoke bars and discotheques, as well as cinemas and shopping malls under scrutiny to ensure safety. 

VNS