On 4/9, the prime minister issued an urgent dispatch requesting the chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee to immediately review the licensing and management of the parking lot under Vinh Tuy bridge and clarify the cause of the fire.
The chairman was also instructed to address the responsibilities of organizations and individuals involved in licensing, managing, and ensuring fire safety at the parking lot. The city will collaborate with the Ministry of Construction to assess the fire's impact on the bridge's structural integrity and operational capacity. Immediate safety measures are required to ensure the bridge's absolute safety. The assessment results must be reported to the prime minister before 15/9.
The dispatch emphasized the need for a city-wide review of all parking lots, especially those situated under bridges and roads, to prevent similar incidents.
The Ministry of Public Security directed Hanoi police to investigate the fire's cause and review fire safety protocols to determine the responsibility of involved parties. Local authorities will review all parking areas under bridges and roads to rectify violations.
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The underside of Vinh Tuy bridge after the parking lot fire on 30/8. Photo: Pham Chieu |
The underside of Vinh Tuy bridge after the parking lot fire on 30/8. Photo: Pham Chieu
Around 1 p.m. on 30/8, a fire erupted in a corner of the parking lot near pillar T3, rapidly engulfing the area under Vinh Tuy bridge. Initial reports from Hong Ha ward indicate approximately 500 motorbikes were destroyed in the 300-square-meter blaze.
The area under Vinh Tuy bridge serves as a holding area for traffic-violating vehicles, managed by Hanoi Parking Exploitation One Member Limited Liability Company and Giang Linh Transport and Forwarding Company Limited. Following the fire, significant concrete damage, exposed steel reinforcement, and heavy smoke damage were observed.
The Hanoi Department of Construction stated it will collaborate with consultants and management to assess the impact on the bridge's structure and safety.
Vinh Tuy bridge, spanning the Red river, connects Long Bien district with the former Hai Ba Trung district. Constructed in 2009, it features six car lanes and two mixed lanes.
Vu Tuan
