The HCM City’s People’s Committee has approved a proposal to build a new apartment building to replace building E located at 518 Võ Văn Kiệt Street in District 1.

The HCM City Department of Construction and District 1 authority has selected a contractor to build a new apartment building that will replace a building that could collapse at any time in District 1.

Trần Vĩnh Tuyến, deputy chairman of the city’s People’s Committee, has directed the city’s Department of Construction to work with the District 1 authority to select the unit to carry out the project.

The city’s People Committee also said the work should be done quickly to ensure safety.

The apartment has five buildings, and construction began in 1996 and was completed in 1999.

The building E of the apartment is leaning 45cm and could collapse at any time.

Thirty-eight families that live in the building have been relocated to apartments in districts 1, 4 and Bình Chánh.

The Chương Dương Primary School next to the apartment building was also forced to stop operating. Students at the school are now attending other schools for safety reasons. — VNS