Why did Hai Phong urgently evacuate a half-century-old apartment building?

Van My apartment complex was built in the 1970s - 1980s. Currently, the apartment complex has about 1,300 households living there. Most of the buildings are at level D danger - the highest level, not ensuring safety, in a state of general disrepair, needing urgent relocation... Faced with this situation, from August 2023, Hai Phong directed units and localities to urgently implement measures to support and ensure the safety of the old Van My apartment complex.

Moi day, HDND TP.Hai Phong thong qua quyet dinh chu truong Du an dau tu xay dung cong trinh ha tang ky thuat tai khu vuc chung cu cu Van My va 311 Da Nang. Theo do, se giai phong hoan toan khu chung cu Van My, thay the bang khu tai dinh cu, cong vien, cay xanh... Tuy nhien, truoc khi du an trien khai, toa A7 thuoc khu chung cu nay da bi nghieng, nguy co do sap sau bao so 3.

Recently, the Hai Phong City People's Council approved the decision on the investment project to build technical infrastructure works in the old Van My apartment complex and 311 Da Nang. Accordingly, the Van My apartment complex will be completely cleared and replaced with a resettlement area, park, trees, etc. However, before the project was implemented, building A7 of this apartment complex was tilted and at risk of collapsing after storm No. 3.

It is known that before storm No. 3 made landfall, all of the more than 1,000 households in the Van My apartment complex were evacuated to safe shelters. After storm No. 3, about 100 households in building A7 were not allowed to return home to ensure safety and continued to evacuate.

Not only did it tilt after the storm, Lao Dong reporters also noted that building A7 was in serious disrepair. Most of the building's exterior walls were peeling off, exposing the bricks. The awnings of the apartments were rotten, revealing rusted steel. Many of the sun and rain-shielding panels of the households were also knocked down by the storm.

Behind building A7 is a mossy, moldy scene, with trees and weeds growing all over the walls. It is worth mentioning that this apartment building has many untreated iron cages and tiger cages, posing a fire safety risk.

Because building A7 is tilted, Hai Phong City authorities also decided to evacuate households in building A8 (right behind) to ensure safety. The total number of households that must be evacuated in the two apartment buildings is more than 300.

Hai Phong City police have cordoned off the two apartment buildings and coordinated with local authorities to prevent people from returning to ensure safety.

Trong ngay 9.9, cac ho dan song tai chung cu A7, A8 Van My (da xuong cap, co nguy co sap do) dang tich cuc dong goi do dac, vat dung thiet yeu va di chuyen den noi tam lanh. Anh: Am vang Ngo Quyen

On September 9, households living in the A7 and A8 Van My apartment buildings (which are degraded and at risk of collapse) are actively packing up their belongings and essential items and moving to temporary shelters. Photo: Am vang Ngo Quyen

Cac luc luong chuc nang quan Ngo Quyen cung ho tro nhan dan van chuyen do dac den noi tam cu. Anh: Am vang Ngo Quyen

Ngo Quyen District authorities also assisted people in transporting their belongings to temporary shelters. Photo: Ngo Quyen Echo

Households in buildings A7 and A8 were relocated to temporary housing at the 5-storey Kenh Duong apartment building and the 5-storey Khuc Thua Du apartment building (Le Chan district). Photo: Ngo Quyen district

On the afternoon of September 11, the People's Committee of Ngo Quyen District coordinated with the Department of Construction and the Housing Management and Trading Company Limited to organize a lottery to move 87 households in the A7 and A8 Van My apartment buildings to temporary residence at a new place. The temporary residence period is 2 months.

On the morning of September 12, Chairman of Hai Phong City People's Committee Nguyen Van Tung presided over a field inspection at a 5-storey apartment building in Kenh Duong ward, Le Chan district, and visited new households temporarily residing there. Photo: Hai Phong City Portal

The city also agreed to stop using 41 old apartment buildings with level D danger (about more than 2,600 households) in the city that were seriously affected by storm No. 3. At the same time, the Department of Construction was requested to seriously learn from experience in the delay in repairing and maintaining public property apartments every year according to regulations; review and clarify the responsibilities of related organizations and individuals. Photo: Hai Phong Portal