Eight people in court for Hanoi Block’s deadly apartment fire

Vietnam has a population of 100 million people, of which one third living in close urban areas.

In order to meet the accommodation requirements, Vietnamul, in 2014, legalized blocks of small-known apartments locally under the name of “mini apartments”-which are largely owned by private persons, and sometimes later resold or rent to small and migrant-income workers.

According to the indictment quoted by Vnexpress, Niam Quang Minh, 45 years old, the owner of the block that climbed flames, illegally changed the design of the building to make three floors above and with 12 additional rooms.

While they were under construction, illegal changes were reported and Minh was fined, but the officials involved did not report offenses for their superiors, Vnexpress added.

Until 2016, it is assumed that all 45 apartments in the building were sold. Four years later, fire prevention regulations were reported once more, but officials did not ask Minh to make appropriate changes.

A short circuit in the block’s wiring system began the fire in 2023, which hurt 44 people, the indictment said.

The inhabitants requested a compensation of 76.4 billion Dong ($ 3 million). The verdict follows on Wednesday.

The fire was the most fatal in Vietnam in October 2002, when a fire killed 60 people at the International Trade Center in Ho Chi Minh.

But the country has known several serious fires in recent years, many at Entertainment placesincluding Karaoke bars.