Form a committee to assess the value of each vehicle.

Authorities in Binh Thuan province will establish a council to assess the value of assets lost in the fire that destroyed over 200 motorbikes, based on vehicle documents, traffic violation reports, and other factors.

On March 16, Colonel Huynh Ngoc Liem, Deputy Director of the Binh Thuan Provincial Police, stated that authorities are continuing to investigate and clarify the responsibilities of individuals and groups involved in the fire that destroyed over 200 motorbikes at the Tanh Linh District Police's motorbike impoundment lot (Binh Thuan).

Initial investigations indicate that the fire was caused by a conscript soldier carelessly discarding a cigarette butt in the parking area, which was then blown by the wind into the gasoline spool, igniting the fire.

Fire destroys 200 motorbikes at police station: Committee established to assess the value of each vehicle (image 1)

Colonel Huynh Thanh Liem, Deputy Director of the Binh Thuan Provincial Police (Photo: Phuoc Tuan).

According to Colonel Liem, the authorities will establish a council to assess the value of property damage. Based on vehicle documents and violation reports, the council will reassess the accurate value of each type of vehicle owned by citizens in accordance with the law.

"For now, the legal entity responsible for compensating the people for damages is the Tanh Linh District Police. The next course of action regarding the individuals and groups involved will be investigated and concluded by the relevant authorities," Mr. Liem said.

Residents whose motorbikes have been impounded will be guided by the Tánh Linh District Police on the procedures required by law to file for compensation.

Preliminary assessments indicate that the fire caused approximately 2 billion VND in damage (motorcycles alone), not including damage to a number of adjacent structures and power lines used for transmitting information.

200 motorbikes destroyed in fire at police station: Committee established to assess the value of each vehicle (image 2)

According to lawyer Nguyen Trong Nghia ( Hanoi Bar Association), if the competent authority concludes that the cause of the fire was due to force majeure, the agency that issued the decision to temporarily detain or confiscate the vehicle in question is not liable for compensation under Clause 2, Article 584 of the 2015 Civil Code.

If it is determined that the fire was not caused by force majeure, but by sabotage or negligence of an individual, the agency that issued the temporary seizure order must still compensate the vehicle owners before filing a lawsuit against the individual who caused the fire to claim compensation for damages. If there is sufficient evidence to constitute a crime, a case can be initiated and charges filed against the suspect.

In reality, when the police impound vehicles for traffic violations, they often don't record the condition of the vehicle (whether it's old or new, or how damaged it is) in the report. Therefore, according to Mr. Nghia, determining the value of each vehicle before it caught fire to use as a basis for compensation is a significant issue. On the other hand, if the parking lot is insured, the insurance company will be responsible for compensating the vehicle owners.