Hanoi plans to buy fire fighting helicopters for use in tackling blazes in hard to reach areas and for mounting rescues following the recent rise in the number of fires in the city, a local police official said.
The scence of a recent fire in Hanoi
Colonel Nguyen Van Son, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Fire Prevention and Control, said the helicopter purchase is in line with the government’s instruction to establish three firefighting hubs in the city. Each would be equipped with helicopters.
Son said firefighters in Hanoi often faced difficulties due to traffic jams, narrow roads and alleys with interlacing electric wires.
Hanoi also needs at least 8,000 more fire hydrants.
In the first six months of this year, Hanoi has seen 84 fires and one explosion, causing seven deaths and 11 injuries, and losses of VND13 billion (USD619,047).