On the afternoon of 2/4, on Tan Xuan street, below Thang Long bridge in Phu Thuong ward, a middle-aged man brought many foam boards, each measuring about 1x2 meters, from his home to burn. The fire generated a black smoke column that covered a section of Thang Long bridge, reducing visibility and forcing commuters to slow down.

Mai Huong, a resident living in a nearby apartment complex, said that when she saw the thick smoke and smelled the acrid odor, many residents initially thought a fire had broken out in a building. Upon going outside, they discovered the smoke originated from burning trash under the bridge. Some people advised the man to stop, but he continued to carry more foam boards to burn, Huong added.

Phu Thuong ward authorities sent officials to investigate and identified the individual as a 52-year-old man residing in the ward. For the aforementioned violation, he will face a fine of 3 million VND and be required to restore the area to its original state.

The act of unauthorized burning of household waste, especially in residential and public areas, violates environmental laws. According to Decree 45/2022, individuals committing acts of pollution can be fined from 500,000 VND to 2 million VND, along with an obligation to remedy the consequences.

If burning trash causes a fire that spreads to other properties, the offender could face fines ranging from 1 million to 5 million VND, or even criminal prosecution depending on the extent of the damage.

Viet An