Recently, many consecutive fires have occurred in Ho Chi Minh City, causing great damage to people and property. One of the common reasons pointed out is that businesses, houses, restaurants... cover signs, roofs, "tiger cages"... to lose escape and hinder rescue work when fires occur.
According to the reporter of Lao Dong Newspaper, the situation of signs covering the facade is common on many central streets of Ho Chi Minh City such as 3/2 Street, Ly Thai To Street, Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, Cao Thang Street... - where many shops and restaurants are concentrated.
Many establishments install large LED light signs, overlapping with each other, covering the front exit, potentially obstructing escape and fire fighting if an accident occurs. There are even many 3-4 story houses with signs extending from the ground floor to the 4th floor, blocking the common walkway.
Ms. Tran My Le (residing in Vuon Lai ward) said that many stores are blocking their frontages due to signs or roofs, which is very dangerous because of the increased risk of fire spreading.
"If there is a fire, we can't run in time, because the crowded areas and houses are close together, but the signboard is dense, if the fire spreads, we will die," said Ms. My Le.
Mr. Doan Minh Tho, the owner of a nearby store, was also worried. Since building a house to do business, he has been very concerned about the problem of room exits when a fire or explosion occurs.
"The signboard is made of plastic, of alu, just a short circuit breaks the electricity and it burns very quickly. I have seen firefighters have to break up signs and tiger cages to approach and rescue people and put out the fire. I am also very shy every time I go to shops that are closed, Mr. Tho expressed his opinion.
At the regular press conference on the socio-economic situation on July 10, Major General Nguyen Thanh Huong, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Police, said that there are still many cases of intentional violations of fire prevention and fighting regulations (PCCC). Among them, it is common to install signs and roofs encroaching on escape routes - one of the reasons that can prevent people inside from being able to escape when a fire occurs.
"The Ward People's Committee needs to closely monitor and strengthen inspections, strictly handling violations," Major General Huong emphasized.
He also warned that fire and explosion are incidents that occur in a cluster, measured in seconds, not minutes, so people need to proactively prevent them before waiting for support from the authorities.
Expansion and coverage for the purpose of increasing the usable area or ensuring security, if not in accordance with regulations, can lead to serious consequences when a fire occurs. Although the city has repeatedly taken action to deal with illegal construction and cover the facade, this phenomenon continues in many places.
The risk of fire and explosion from seemingly harmless signs is quietly lurking among urban residents. In the context of hot weather, keeping the escape route open is not only a mandatory legal requirement, but also a vital factor.
After serious fires, Ho Chi Minh City Police organized many propaganda sessions and instructed people on fire prevention and fighting skills. However, each household needs to raise awareness of fire prevention and fighting, proactively equip on-site fire extinguishers, periodically check the electrical and thermal systems and keep the escape route open, to minimize damage when an unfortunate incident occurs.
