On the afternoon of March 13, at a regular press conference on the socio-economic situation, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thang Long - Deputy Head of the General Staff of Ho Chi Minh City Police provided information related to the work of ensuring fire prevention and fighting safety (PCCC) in mini apartments, houses combined with business, and boarding houses in Ho Chi Minh City. Accordingly, facilities that do not meet fire safety requirements will be forced to stop operations after March 30.
Before the Prime Minister issued Directive 19, Ho Chi Minh City Police had inspected and reviewed more than 60,400 facilities in the area and discovered more than 15,700 facilities still violating fire prevention and fighting regulations. Of which, more than 13,900 facilities are boarding houses, room storage facilities for rent, 930 facilities are houses combined with production and business with a high risk of fire and explosion.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thang Long, most of these facilities have not fully met the fire safety conditions according to the law, including: not ensuring emergency exits, lack of equipment, fire prevention and fighting systems, unsafe trapping power systems, risk of overloading during peak hours; residents living in these facilities have not been fully equipped with fire prevention and fighting knowledge, leading to a high risk of fire and explosion.
Faced with the above situation, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has directed departments, branches and sectors, especially the Ho Chi Minh City Police, to continue to inspect and review fire safety and rescue conditions (CNCH) in accordance with the schedule and direction of the Government, the City Party Committee and the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. Cases of violating regulations on fire safety will be strictly handled according to the law.
After Directive 19 of the Prime Minister took effect, Ho Chi Minh City Police directed the police of units and localities to step up inspection work, guide and overcome violations of fire prevention and fighting.
At the same time, propaganda, dissemination of knowledge and guidance on fire prevention and fighting and rescue skills have also been promoted, especially for boarding houses, rental room storage facilities, houses combined with production and business with high risk of fire and explosion.
Propaganda content is broadcast more on mass media channels and social networking platforms.
A representative of Ho Chi Minh City Police said that up to now, Ho Chi Minh City still has 5,155 facilities such as houses, rental room storage houses, individual houses combined with production and business that have not violated fire prevention and fighting.
This figure has decreased by 61.5% compared to before Directive 19 was issued. Of which, there are 4,737 facilities in the type of boarding houses, rooms for rent and 418 facilities are houses combined with production and business.
"From now until March 30, Ho Chi Minh City Police will continue to direct the police of districts and towns to closely monitor the area, monitor and urge business owners to urgently overcome fire prevention and fighting violations. The completion of these requirements needs to be carried out as soon as possible, not waiting until the deadline of March 30, 2025, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Thang Long emphasized and said that after this time, if the facilities still do not ensure fire safety, the authorities will be forced to stop operations according to regulations.
