The city needs an additional 6,882 fire hydrants, and 343 fire extinction basins, among other fire prevention facilities.

Checking the operational status of fire hydrants. File photo

The Hanoi People's Committee raised the issue in a recent report on firefighting and prevention efforts in the city, pointing to deficiencies in existing infrastructure to support firefighting and prevention.

At present, nearly 3,500 fire hydrants are installed across the city, mainly in the downtown area.

According to the local authorities, 749 out of the total 1,333 fires, or more than half of the cases during the recent months, were in residential areas, detached houses, or individual businesses households.

“While the fire in these situations did not cause severe impacts on assets, it had resulted in fatalities,” noted the report.

Meanwhile, the majority of fires causing huge damage came mostly from manufacturing plants or storage at 145 cases or 10.8%.

The authority noted a common reason for the fire would be the malfunction of the electricity system with 696 cases, or 52.2%, and mostly in the downtown area, accounting for 60.2% of total cases.

Amid the growing number of fires in the city, the city called for locals to strictly comply with the Law on Firefighting and Prevention, which stipulated efforts to combat and prevent fire are the responsibility of both the authorities and the people.

“Fire prevention is the main focus, with the people being encouraged to join the firefighting and prevention efforts,” noted the report.

In addition, Hanoi would continue to raise public awareness of firefighting and prevention, while setting up nearly 5,400 firefighting groups at grassroots levels.

This would be a useful force to support the city’s over 39,000 firefighting units and 367,225 officers.

Meanwhile, the Hanoi People’s Committee urged local agencies and districts/wards to enhance supervision activities in areas at high risk of fire, including high-rise buildings, karaoke pubs, restaurants, nightclubs, shopping malls, and gas stations, and manufacturing plants.

During the first six months of 2022, the authorities reviewed fire safety at 19,100 cases and issued 930 fines of VND8.6 billion (US$367,000).

A review of fire safety among the city's buildings resulted in 2,921 buildings not having received a fire safety certificate, 498 of which have sub-standard fire safety equipment.

In the coming time, the city is set to issue a guideline on enhancing firefighting and prevention capability during the 2021-2025 period, with a vision for 2030.

The main goal is to change the people’s mindset in efforts to prevent fire and adopt good and modern models of firefighting in the city.