According to the Fire and Rescue Police Department (C07) under the Ministry of Public Security, as many as 1,497 fires occurred nationwide between January and May this year, killing 39 and injuring 39 others. The incidents resulted property losses of VND 138 billion (USD 5.37 million) and damaged roughly 216 hectares of forest.
A fire in Hanoi (Photo by Tran Thanh)
During this period, local fire and rescue forces responded to 412 incidents, deploying 904 vehicles and over 5,400 officers. They rescued 337 people and recovered 218 bodies.
C07 reported that, compared to the same period last year, fires fell by 24.5 per cent, but injuries rose by 39 per cent and property damage increased by nearly VND 5 billion. Explosions rose slightly, with four more deaths and six additional injuries reported.
Up to 54.8 per cent of fires happened in urban areas. There were 539 house fires, 94 at combined residential and business premises, 41 in apartment blocks and 10 at markets.
Police have determined that 73.6 per cent of the fires were linked to electrical system or equipment failures. Other causes included careless use of open flames, heat sources, and technical malfunctions.