HCMC chairman proposes using helicopters, robots to battle fires

Localities of the southern key economic region should collaborate in firefighting and prevention and have their firefighters organize drills every year, Mai told an online national conference on fire fighting and prevention joined by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Monday.

The region comprises HCMC and seven provinces of Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Long An and Tien Giang, with nearly 22 million people that contribute 35% of the GDP, 46.1% of total budget revenue and 30% of total export turnover in the country.

He also proposed the government spends the state budget to equip firefighting forces with helicopters and robots to improve efficiency.

“If we neither work together nor well-equipped those forces, the damage caused by fires could be huge, especially for the southern key economic region,” said Mai.

He also proposed listing firefighting among hazardous jobs subjected to preferential treatment.

The conference came almost a week after 32 people were killed when fire engulfed a karaoke parlor in Binh Duong Province bordering HCMC.

According to an official report at the meeting, between 2017 and 2021, more than 17,000 fires occurred in Vietnam, killing 433 and injuring 790 others, causing loss exceeding VND7 trillion and damaging more than 7,500 hectares of forests.

Deadly fires have been drawing public attention in the past month.

Most recently, a mother and her two preschool children were killed Saturday afternoon after a bedding factory in Hanoi caught fire.

On Aug. 1, three firefighters were killed trying to put off a fire at a karaoke parlor in Hanoi.

PM Chinh said at the meeting: “Such serious and heartbreaking cases are a warning sign showing the urgency that requires a new approach in responding to and preventing fire accidents to protect human lives and property.”

He said that Vietnam is still in the process of development, with infrastructure projects and construction work appearing more and more while the demand for using energy and chemicals is also on the rise, posing high fire risks.

However, the PM said the people’s awareness and habits of fire prevention are still limited while law enforcement and state management on fire prevention and fighting remains inadequate.