NA deputies at the session discussing on the Law on Fire Fighting and Prevention Rescue Efforts on Friday morningin Hà Nội.— VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — The National Assembly (NA) drafting committee for the Law on Fire Fighting and Prevention and Rescue Efforts was advised to add the principle of applying modern technology in fire prevention and rescue efforts to Article 5.

NA deputy Đỗ Văn Yên from Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu Province made the suggestion on Friday morning as the government body continued its eighth session, discussing various aspects of the draft law.

Yên added that this principle would encourage agencies and organisations to invest more in new technologies for fire safety and rescue operations.

He also called for consistency with Article 52 of the draft law, which addressed science, technology and the fire prevention and rescue database, as well as fire reporting systems.

In relation to fire safety for residential buildings that combine business activities, as mentioned in Article 20, and fire safety for facilities in Article 22, he pointed out that many establishments currently did not meet fire safety standards but continued to operate, with  violations coming to light only after incidents occurred.

Therefore, Yên proposed more detailed regulations on the frequency of inspections and the public disclosure of fire safety inspection results at production and business facilities.

He also urged the drafting committee to include provisions that require production and business facilities to publicly share their annual fire safety inspection results on relevant authorities' websites and at their premises and mandate semi-annual inspections of their fire safety systems.

NA deputy Trần Đình Chung from Đà Nẵng City expressed concerns regarding Article 18, which addresses fire safety during construction.

He said that while ensuring fire safety for construction sites is crucial, the draft law did not specify the responsibilities of the parties involved.

Thus, he suggested adding a requirement for all relevant parties - owners, contractors, supervisory consultants and design approvers - to be accountable for fire safety during construction.

Chung proposed an additional clause under Article 18, stating that the site owner, contractors and design approvers are responsible for monitoring and ensuring fire safety throughout the construction process.

That aligns with Clause 2 of Article 15, which mandates appropriate fire safety measures for temporary structures based on their functionality and characteristics.

NA deputy Đỗ Ngọc Thịnh from Khánh Hòa Province raised concerns about Article 23, which addresses electrical safety in installations.

He said the draft mentioned general safety conditions for fire prevention in electrical use, but it lacked specifics about safety devices in electrical equipment for both residential and business use.

Thịnh argued that each electrical device should have a fuse to automatically cut off power during a fire, preventing damage to other equipment.

He proposed adding a clause to Article 23 that requires safety devices to ensure automatic disconnection of electrical power.

NA deputy Vũ Hồng Luyến from Hưng Yên Province called for regulations regarding fire safety in high-rise apartment buildings. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

NA deputy Vũ Hồng Luyến from Hưng Yên Province called for regulations regarding fire safety in high-rise apartment buildings.

She pointed out that many such buildings have been in use for a long time and their infrastructure has deteriorated, elevating the risk of fire and explosions.

Regulations are needed to ensure that access roads to high-rise buildings allow fire and rescue vehicles to reach them quickly in emergencies, which would minimise harm to both people and property, she stated.

Meanwhile, NA deputy Nguyễn Lâm Thành from Thái Nguyên Province highlighted the need for further investigation into fire-fighting water sources in narrow alleys and high-rise buildings.

Thành noted there has been a concerning rise in fires related to electrical faults and welding, particularly in karaoke bars and nightclubs.

He stressed the importance of scrutinising these issues to enhance fire prevention measures, adding that fires often occur in houses in small alleys and high-rise apartments and with current fire-fighting equipment, it is very difficult to access and extinguish fires.

It is necessary to carefully study water sources for fire fighting, he said.

In response to the NA deputies' comments, Chairman of the NA's National Defence and Security Committee Lê Tấn Tới said he highly appreciated the comprehensive and responsible feedback from the deputies on the draft law.

He said that the drafting committee would carefully consider and address the suggestions made to refine the draft law.

Following directives from Party General Secretary Tô Lâm and NA Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn, the committee is committed to creating policies that facilitate ease for citizens and businesses while prioritising public safety and addressing practical challenges, Tới added.

Concluding the discussion, Vice NA Chairman Trần Quang Phương said that there was broad consensus on the scope, structure and numerous aspects of the draft law.

Overall, the proposed regulations of the draft law ensure practicality and coherence within the legal system.

He urged the NA Standing Committee to direct further refinements of specific issues. —VNS