Most apartment fires originate in the parking garage.

At the regular press conference on the socio-economic situation of Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of September 14, Lieutenant Colonel Le Manh Ha, Deputy Chief of Staff of Ho Chi Minh City Police, said that through statistics and investigations, the causes of fires in apartment buildings, especially high-rise apartments, which are dangerous, easily spread, and cause especially serious human damage, all originate from the parking basement.

In addition, serious incidents also occurred in most apartment buildings designed with stairs and elevators going from the basement to the upper floors without implementing safety measures for escape.

" In these cases, the fire and toxic smoke quickly spread up the stairs to the floors. When a fire breaks out, people try to escape safely down the stairs to the ground and are suffocated by smoke and fire, endangering their lives," said Lieutenant Colonel Ha.

Lieutenant Colonel Le Manh Ha, Deputy Chief of Staff of Ho Chi Minh City Police. (Photo: Thanh Nhan)

According to the Deputy Chief of Staff of Ho Chi Minh City Police, after reviewing, the city currently has 42,256 boarding houses and rental rooms under state management of fire prevention and fighting and rescue (PCCC&CNCH).

Most boarding houses and rental houses are equipped with and installed with fire protection systems according to the law. However, rental apartments in general, family houses, and houses combined with businesses always have the potential risk of causing and spreading fires due to the improper and unsafe use of many electrical appliances, and the improper wiring, installation, and use of electrical wires that can easily lead to fire and explosion incidents;

The apartment is not fully equipped with the initial fire-fighting equipment and systems. Or it is equipped but not checked and maintained periodically such as: fire extinguishers, fire alarm systems, indoor fire hydrant systems, lightning protection systems, emergency lighting in each room and hallway, leading to damage and non-operation. Therefore, the risk of fire and explosion is always present;

There is no force trained in fire prevention and fighting on duty regularly, so initial situations cannot be handled promptly; People living in boarding houses and rental houses are not equipped with knowledge and skills in fire prevention and fighting.

" The most dangerous thing now is that high-rise rental buildings have basements for parking but are not designed with fire protection systems and safety solutions. When a fire occurs, it can easily cause especially serious human damage," Lieutenant Colonel Ha emphasized.

Video: Detailed instructions on how to escape from a fire in an apartment or high-rise building

Hoang Tho

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