Many petrol stations in Vietnam are defying regulations and operating within the crowded residential areas, posing deathly risk to the citizens.
A petrol station on Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street and another one on Kham Thien Street in Hanoi open right by the road. Customers stop and wait right on the pavement and sometimes, on the road. The locals are afraid of the risk of fire.
Le Thi Hang, a local on De La Thanh Street said children and elderly people suffered from headache, rhinitis and allergies because of the smell of petrol. In addition, many people are sceptical about the fire prevention plans at those stations in addition to the environmental pollution.
Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade has relocated or shut down 14 stations as fuel stations are supposed to be 100m from residences, forcing 32 stations to upgrade to meet fire safety standards. Last year, the department refused to issue business licences to 24 stations for failing to meet the requirements. Some stations were refused twice.
A petrol station in Hanoi
In last July, a fire broke out at a fuel station in Hanoi's Hoang Mai District and burnt down two pumps, a fuel tanker truck and several motorbikes.
In December, fire suddenly broke out while the station in HCM City was refilling the pumps. Two people were injured while various vehicles and local assets were damaged.
According to a representative of Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, they inspected 175 stations last year and found 54 violations. However, he said many stations met the distance requirement when they were first opened. But after a few years, people just built houses right next to the stations.
In the coming time, the department will continue to inspect the stations. It will ask the city to shut down stations that don't meet fire safety requirements. Local authorities are being asked to not issue building permits to residential constructions near fuel stations.
Phan The Rue, Chairman of the Vietnam Petroleum Association said fuel stations could meet demand when sited at convenient locations. However, convenience is a huge risk to other people if fire safety standards are not met.
