Prime Minister inspects scene of mini apartment fire

Prime Minister visits people at the scene of the fire. Video : Huy Manh

At 12:30 noon today, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his delegation arrived at the scene and visited Bach Mai Hospital to visit the victims of the mini apartment fire on Khuong Ha Street, Thanh Xuan District.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Quang Phuong, and Deputy Minister of Public Security Nguyen Van Long went deep into the scene of the fire. The delegation climbed the stairs to three floors to observe every corner.

The fire broke out at 11pm on September 12. Authorities said they had rescued 70 people and taken 54 to hospital. Preliminary figures from hospitals show at least 10 people have died. Many of the victims were children.

The first floor is a garage, which is believed to be where the fire started. When the fire broke out, most residents ran to the upper floors to escape. Some people climbed down by ropes, many jumped across the roofs of neighboring houses. Most of the victims were hospitalized with suffocation or multiple injuries from jumping from high places.

The Prime Minister requested timely material and spiritual support for the victims. "Whatever needs to be done and can be done, we will do our best," said the Prime Minister.

The heat left the ceilings and walls peeling and stained. Vehicles burned to the frame.

The steel shell of the first floor elevator is dented, next to it is a staircase covered in black smoke.

The stairs to the second floor of the apartment building were broken and deformed.

The upper-floor apartments were blackened with smoke, with furniture burned or disfigured. The living room of a second-floor apartment was covered in a layer of soot. Inside, heat was still radiating, even though the fire had been extinguished this morning.

"A 10-story, 45-family building like a mini apartment building without any exit is not allowed in principle," said the Prime Minister.

The Government leader requested to study and complete regulations and rules on fire prevention and fighting for mini apartments, densely populated areas but narrow roads... He also reminded people to train in fire prevention and fighting and escape skills.

The TV shelf in an apartment is left with only the frame.

A burnt child's bicycle next to an electric fan in a second-floor apartment.

The Prime Minister burned incense for those who died in the fire.

He praised the firefighters working at the scene and thanked the people for actively participating in fighting the fire, overcoming the consequences, and rescuing the victims.

After about 20 minutes of inspecting the scene, the Prime Minister went to Bach Mai Hospital to visit the victims. Many of the victims of the fire were children from 8 months to 10 years old who were hospitalized with suffocation.

Located in a 3 meter alley about 400 meters from Khuong Ha street, the burnt apartment building was designed in a tube style, with only one exit at the main door, making firefighting and rescue difficult.

The front of the house is about 7m, about 30m deep. The first floor is for parking, the remaining floors are apartments for rent. Each floor has 5 apartments, about 20-40m2, with a loggia for drying clothes. Two sides of the loggia are fitted with stainless steel bars, there is an exit but no ladder.

The left side of the house is adjacent to the alley but is solidly built, with some small windows, the right side is adjacent to a private house. The back of the house is half adjacent to a private house, half adjacent to the alley.

Vnexpress.net