Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has requested a review of fire response facilities following several violent fires, including the large fire at Quang Ngai Market.
Fire at Quang Ngai Market resulted in huge property losses
In an official document issued on February 27, the PM said firefighting facilities have proven to be inadequate. The recent fires have caused an enormous amount of property loss.
In only two days, February 8-9, four large fires occurred, the market fire being the the most violent.
Most of them were a result of unsafe wiring and short-circuits, the PM emphasised.
In order to heighten firefighting capability, ministries, branches, Government agencies and authorities in cities and provinces under the direct management of the central Government will be required to set up interdisciplinary inspection groups to conduct the inspection, he said.
Any problems, shortcomings or regulation violations will be dealt with quickly so as to prevent further incidents, he noted.
The PM also urged that it is necessary to pay more attention to fire safety in tall buildings, markets, trade centres, schools, facilities at high risk of explosions and other public places.
The inspection will be carried out from now through March 30, 2012, with all reports to be sent to the Prime Minister.
The Ministry of Public Security is responsible for overseeing the inspection, detecting any problems and coming up with the best solutions.
Facilities with the most serious regulation violations would be shut down, and, in some cases, criminal cases may be brought if they have resulted in large loss of life or property, he added.
He also emphasised the Ministry of Information and Communication's role in heightening public awareness of fire prevention and safety.
