Fears of fires or explosions at scrap collection points in capital city

A scrap collection and processing point in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Mạnh Khánh

HÀ NỘI — Scrap collection and processing has reduced waste in inner Hà Nội, creating jobs for people and helping clear the streets, but there are concerns that collection points could become fire hazards.

In fact, many fires originating from scrap collection and processing have already been reported to authorities, including one that led to the tragic death of three.

At the end of last year, a fire that killed a mother and her two children in Văn Điển Village, Tứ Hiệp Commune, Thanh Trì District highlighted the issue of fires at collection points.

Y., from Nam Định Province, worked as a scrap collector in a house of around 20sq.m in the village, using a machine to compress cans, iron boxes and bottles.

During his working process, the compressor clamped into a can of hair spray which ignited and set the workshop ablaze.

Y. managed to escape, but his wife and two children were killed by the fierce fire.

More recently, at around 7.50am last Tuesday, residents living near Alley 67, Phùng Khoang Street, Trung Văn Ward, Nam Từ Liêm District discovered a fire from a garbage and scrap yard, which then spread to a nearby temporary shelter.

Due to many flammable substances and the dry weather, the fire became intense very quickly, accompanied by thick black smoke.

After more than 30 minutes, the fire was under control and thankfully there were no casualties.

Previously, at 9.52am on November 8, in Mễ Trì Ward, Nam Từ Liêm District, a fire suddenly broke out at a scrap yard and quickly spread to a nearby house.

The district police coordinated with Thanh Xuân District Police to assigned dozens of officers, soldiers and four fire trucks to the scene to put out the fire. Fortunately, again, no one died in the fire.

However, the incidents have led to concerns about how potentially dangerous the collection and purchasing points around the city could be.

Triều Khúc Village in Tân Triều Commune, Thanh Trì District currently has about 30 scrap processing shops, most of which are spontaneously developed on a family scale, with manual production processes.

After purchasing plastic, paper, metal containers and electronic components, the facility owners will cut, press or process the raw materials to sell.

The production period is rudimentary. Manufacturers are mostly seasonal workers, lacking knowledge of fire fighting prevention and safety.

According to the Vietnam News Agency reporter's observations, most of the scrap collection and purchasing facilities are private, small businesses. The collection sites are combined with residential areas, close to people's houses. Basically they lack necessary equipment to put out fires, if they can even be quickly detected.

Nguyễn Thanh Dũng, a resident living next to a scrap collection and purchasing point in Tân Triều Commune, said that every day, seeing hundreds of kilogrammes of scrap being collected and piled up, makes him and many people around him extremely worried.

It not only causes unsightly streets and pollutes the environment, but most worryingly, fires can happen at any time.

His family lives in anxiety, but they do not know how to put a stop to the practice.

Strengthening management

According to the Hà Nội Police, scrap collection and purchasing facilities often operate in small alleys, making it difficult for fire trucks to enter.

Additional issues include narrow access ways, a scarcity of fire hydrants, piles of scrap materials, and frequently blocked escape routes.

When a fire or explosion occurs, it can easily spread, causing serious consequences for people and property.

In addition, it also affects the environment and people’s health.

The city police recommends that owners of scrap collection and purchasing locations should proactively raise awareness and strictly comply with fire prevention and fighting safety requirements in households and in the locality.

Local police need to regularly inspect scrap collection and purchasing locations.

Deputy Head of the Thanh Trì District Police, Lieutenant Colonel Lã Công Tuyên, said that standards and regulations on fire prevention and fighting conditions at scrap collection and purchasing facilities were not specific and clear, so the police could not ban these facilities from operating.

To limit damage caused by fire, the unit has set up a project to inspect the facilities, instruct and recommend facility owners to raise awareness and invest in additional fire prevention equipment.

For facilities which are too close to residential areas, with a high risk of fire, the district police have consulted with competent authorities to relocate the scrap shops to safer locations.

Over the longer term, Hà Nội People's Council delegate Lâm Thị Quỳnh Dao said that the city has approved a project to improve fire prevention, fighting and rescue capacity for the period 2025-2030.

The preliminary cost estimate for the project is about VNĐ26.3 trillion (US$1 billion).

To implement the project, the city will conduct training to raise awareness and skills in fire prevention and fighting for households and provide fire prevention equipment for competent agencies and residential areas, she said.

In addition, each locality also needs to start devising a plan to relocate scrap purchasing facilities out of residential areas according to regulations, to avoid increasing the risk of fire and explosion, causing unsafety and environmental pollution.

Dao added that licensing of scrap purchasing facilities must take fire prevention and fighting into consideration before awarding them a licence. — VNS