The Hanoi Electric Company (HEC) made an official announcement that 152 out of 1,128 ATMs in Hanoi were found to be unsafe after an investigation in coordination with the banks of Hanoi.
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| Many ATMs in Hanoi did not meet the required safety standards.This photo shows an ANZ ATM on Bui Thi Xuan Street that was found leaking electricity at hazardous level, and has then been fixed. |
After the story was broken by DTiNews about a young girl being electrocuted to her death by an ATM in Ho Chi Minh City on April 4, HEC issued a decision requiring all related units to immediately work with the banks and check all ATM systems in the city. The investigation took place from April 5 to April 7.
On April 8, HEC announced that 152 out of 1,128 ATMs in Hanoi were found to be unsafe, including both electricity-leaking ATMs and ATMs that did not have a proper ground wire system.
In Hoan Kiem District, 76 out of 247 ATMs did not meet the required safety standards. Among those, 19 showed signs of electric leakages with voltage between 50V and 108V, which could cause fatal harm to people. Those ATMs had their power cut. DTiNews reporters, following the investigation group, witnessed the electric meter jumping its numbers continuously.
It was reported that Hoan Kiem is the district with the most concentrated number of ATMs in Hanoi. Mr. Le Thanh Hai, head of Hoan Kiem District Department of Techonology and Electricity said, "We have cut off the power of all the ATMs found to have problems, and required their owner banks to fix the problem as soon as possible. The deadline is April 10. If, after this day, these problems have not been attended to, we will not provide the power source to any of their ATMs.
In Hai Ba Trung District, 15 out of 117 ATMs were found to be unsafe. The number of unsafe ATMs however, is much less in other districts and areas of the city.
HEC had requested the city's power branches to coordinate with all the banks to examine the power supply system, ground wire system, as well as all power connecting points of all ATMs in order to prevent any danger to the public.
Agribank ATM leaked electricity at a voltage of 27V. (Photo: Nhu Quynh)
