HÀ NỘI — The Department of Fire Prevention and Control, Rescue and Salvage under the Ministry of Public Security has ordered authorities of provinces and cities to review fire safety of entertainment venues.

The directive comes following a deadly blaze in Hà Nội yesterday.

In an urgent document sent to local authorities, the Ministry of Public Security asked for the review to focus on crowded venues which are at high risk of fires and explosions, such as karaoke venues, bars, pub and restaurants.

Police in provinces and cities have been asked to instruct the businesses to address shortcomings in fire safety systems and strictly penalise violators.

Those who fail to meet fire prevention and safety regulations should be banned from operating businesses.

The ministry also ordered localities to strengthen dissemination of fire prevention and evacuation measures to residents.

The ministry urged the Hà Nội fire prevention and rescue police to work with relevant agencies to investigate the cause of the fire at a karaoke venue on Trần Thái Tông Street yesterday and determine responsibilities of individuals and organisations for further penalties.

At least 13 people were confirmed dead after a fire engulfed a seven-floor karaoke building on 68 Trần Thái Tông Street in Hà Nội’s Cầu Giấy District and four neighbouring buildings.

Several motorbikes parked in front of the buildings were also destroyed in the blaze. A five-seater car, located some 200m away from the site of the incident, also went up in flames. Thick black smoke could be seen from up to several kilometres away.

Witnesses said a group of welders were making an advertising board for the karaoke bar, and that could have been the source of the fire.

Dương Cao Thanh, chairman of Cầu Giấy District People’s Committee, told vietnamplus.vn that the karaoke bar does not have certificates of fire safety, public security and order.

The local authorities have warned the venue repeatedly but it continued to operate, he said.

According to the security ministry, there have been 23 karaoke venue blazes across the country since the beginning of this year, in which lives were lost and a lot of property was destroyed. — VNS