Authorities in areas where petrol or gas fires occur will be held responsible for their oversight, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
The Ministry of Public and Security responsible for illegal petrol and gas facilities
The request was issued in an instructive document by the PM on January 20, which addressed controls over cooking gas and petroleum trading.
According to the PM, the country has recently recorded several cases of regulation violations on quality measurement and fire safety standards in the trade, resulting in serious damage to both property and people.
The situation can be attributed to a lack of awareness among gas and petroleum traders and consumers, as well as the lax management of authorities, the PM noted.
In order to deal with the problems, the PM requested that the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) strictly comply with the existing regulations on gas and petroleum safe trade and fire safety.
The new document will require regular inspections on facilities that fill and maintain gas cans.
Gas and petroleum trading establishments that fail to comply with safety standards will be forced to suspend operations, or have their licenses withdrawn.
In addition, the document called for strict measures to be taken in order to do away with illegal facilities, which tamper with the mix of gas and petroleum. Not only would such facilities be shut down, but, in the case of serious violations, the owners and management could face criminal prosecution.
The Ministry of Public Security will be responsible for dealing with companies that adulterate or steal fuel, and those which illegally refill gas cans.
The ministry is also required to launch an investigation in to the cause of recent gas canister explosions, as well as vehicle fires, in order to make consumers aware.
Chairmen of cities and provinces directly under the management of the Government will have to submit a report on the results to MoIT before April 15. The reports will then be passed on to the PM.
The document also stated that more attention should be paid to the location of petrol and gas facilities, so they are not surrounded by residential areas.