The fire at the Rạng Đông light bulb warehouse in Hà Nội's Thanh Xuân District has seriously affected people living nearby. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Local residents affected by the fire at the Rạng Đông light bulb warehouse have sent a petition to authorised agencies, asking them to intervene in compensation claims.

In the petition, local residents said those living in the 54 Hạ Đình Apartment Building, which was near the Rạng Đông Light Source and Vacuum Flask JSC in Hà Nội’s Thanh Xuân District, were most heavily affected by mercury leakage caused by the fire.

After the fire occurred on August 28, 95 per cent of the households had to be evacuated. Up to 80 per cent of the households have now returned home.

Affected households requested the company pay compensation for those who lived within 100m of the blaze.

The company was asked to pay medical treatment costs of up to VNĐ4 million (US$172) per person, rent of up to VNĐ60 million ($2,580) per household, and income loss caused by the fire of between VNĐ6-8 million ($258-344) per person.

In addition, the company was required to pay for the emotional distress of VNĐ60 million ($2,580) per person and VNĐ1 billion ($43,008) for every litre of blood contaminated with 0.1 micrograms of mercury.

On October 16, nearly two months after the fire, representatives of affected households in the ​​54 Hạ Đình Apartment Building met with the representatives of the company to claim compensation.

Deputy director of the company Trần Trung Tướng said the company would respond to the residents soon.

However, the households have not yet received any response from the company.

The households have asked the authorised agencies to urge the company to complete compensation, especially households who had not returned home due to the fire. — VNS