The Ba Ria - Vung Tau Department of Construction issued the directive following a late May inspection of Lapen Center apartment building, located at 33A 30 Thang 4 Street. The building features 34 above-ground floors, two basement levels, and 486 apartments.
During the inspection, authorities noted that on the 16th floor, one apartment showed numerous cracks on interior walls and in the laundry area, causing plaster to peel. Outside the apartment, a crack extended from a beam down to the floor, exposing the brickwork.
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A crack on the exterior of a 16th-floor apartment at Lapen Center. Photo: An Do |
Two other apartments on the same floor also developed cracks near the ceiling, with some broken bricks. Beyond the upper floors, vertical cracks also appeared near elevator walls on floors 6, 7, 8, and 10. Some residents independently hired workers to patch and repair the damage.
This apartment building previously reported wall cracks in 5/2025, when a crack approximately 5 cm wide and nearly 4 m long appeared on the 16th floor. A subsequent inspection by Bach Khoa Ho Chi Minh City Science and Technology Joint Stock Company confirmed the building's structural integrity.
However, to ensure safety, the Department of Construction has directed Petroleum Industrial and Civil Construction Joint Stock Company, the project's developer, to coordinate with the Management Board to inspect the entire structure and propose definitive solutions for the damage.
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Lapen Center apartment building is located on 30 Thang 4 Street. Photo: Truong Ha |
The developer must also hire a qualified unit to regularly monitor the building's subsidence and tilt, promptly detecting any abnormalities. The Tam Thang Ward People's Committee is tasked with maintaining a presence to warn and prevent people from entering areas below the cracked walls.
Lapen Center is a mixed-use complex combining residential and commercial spaces, featuring a shopping center, cinema, swimming pool, and sports facilities. The project opened in early 2019, following nearly three years of construction.
Truong Ha
