8 people will be tried in the mini apartment fire that killed 56 residents

The case is scheduled to be tried by the Hanoi People's Court for 3 days, starting from March 10.

Mr. Nghiem Quang Minh (45 years old, owner of a mini apartment building on Khuong Ha street) was prosecuted for violating regulations on fire prevention and fighting. According to Article 313 of the Penal Code, with the circumstance of causing the death of 3 people or more and causing damage of over 1.5 billion VND.

Seven former officials of Thanh Xuan district and Khuong Dinh ward were prosecuted for the crime of lack of responsibility causing serious consequences: Mr. Tran Trong Khang (former team leader of Thanh Xuan District Construction Inspectorate, period 2013 - 2016); Pham Tan Anh (former vice chairman of the ward People's Committee since 2018); Chu Xuan Son (former vice chairman of the ward People's Committee, period 2015 - 2020); Nguyen Thi Kim Trang (former officer of the ward's land and construction department, period 2010 - 2018); Nguyen Tuan Anh (former deputy police officer of Khuong Dinh ward); Nguyen Dinh Quan (former team leader of the ward's Construction Inspectorate, period 2014 - 2016), Pham Thanh Tung, former contract employee in charge of the urban environment sector.

A fire broke out in a mini apartment building on Khuong Ha Street, killing 56 people and injuring 44 others on September 12, 2023. Before the night of the fire, there were 147 residents living in this illegally built apartment building.

Mini apartment building built 3 floors higher but not forced

The indictment determined that in 2015, Mr. Minh, the owner of a 240 m2 plot of land on Khuong Ha Street, was granted a permit to build a single-family house. The first floor construction area was 167.4 m2, but the homeowner arbitrarily changed the design, building the first floor to 240 m2; the permit allowed for 6 floors and 33 rooms, but the building was increased to 9 floors and 45 rooms - exceeding 3 floors and 12 rooms. Mr. Minh did not prepare a design, review, acceptance, or fire prevention and fighting management file.

In July 2015, while under construction on the 7th floor, the Construction Inspection Team of Khuong Dinh Ward discovered a violation and made a record requesting Minh to stop construction. The homeowner was then fined 15 million VND by Thanh Xuan District, forced to demolish the illegally constructed part; enforcement was enforced.

However, upon receiving the enforcement decision, the defendants Quan (Head of the Construction Inspectorate of Khuong Dinh Ward), Trang (a land officer) and Tung (an urban environment officer of the ward) made a record and signed to confirm that Minh "self-demolished the illegal construction on the 7th floor", but the construction density was not in accordance with the permit, these 3 officers did not request the demolition. After making the record, they also did not report on the policy for continuing to handle Minh's illegal construction.

The indictment determined that Mr. Son, while serving as Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Khuong Dinh Ward, did not inspect and urge three subordinates to enforce the order.

Defendant Khang, the Head of the Thanh Xuan District Construction Inspectorate at that time, knew about the "half-hearted enforcement" but did not continue to request the Construction Inspection Team and the People's Committee of Khuong Dinh Ward to implement the enforcement decision.

According to the People's Procuracy, Quan, Trang, Tung, Son and Khang were irresponsible in management, allowing Minh's project to continue construction from the 7th to the 9th floor without being inspected or handled by any agency or unit of the People's Committee of Khuong Dinh Ward and the People's Committee of Thanh Xuan District.

Many times warned of serious fire and explosion risk

In April 2016, defendant Minh sold 45 apartments to individuals and households. By the end of that year, all 45 apartments were occupied.

He was accused of "not being responsible for the residents' living and operation of the building". All 70-80 motorbikes, electric motorbikes, and electric bicycles of the residents were parked on the first floor.

From 2018 to 2020, Thanh Xuan District Police discovered many violations of fire prevention and control here. If not prevented in time, it could lead to a direct risk of fire and explosion and could cause particularly serious consequences.

On June 24, 2020, Thanh Xuan District issued a decision to suspend the operation of the first floor of the building. Minh and the residents living there, accordingly, had to comply with fire safety requirements but did not comply. Thanh Xuan District Police continued to send official dispatches to them and Khuong Dinh Ward Police but there was no change.

Mr. Pham Tan Anh, Vice Chairman of the Ward People's Committee and Nguyen Tuan Anh, Deputy Police Chief of Khuong Dinh Ward, were then in charge of fire prevention and fighting but did not report or propose to resolve the problem when Minh and residents did not comply with the regulations, the People's Procuracy accused.

On the night of September 12, 2023, the electrical circuit on the wire in the battery area located next to the wall short-circuited, causing a fire. The fire spread to the electrical cable area, the electric meter boxes mounted on the wall on the first floor, and then spread to the surrounding area. The fire killed 56 people, injured 44 people to varying degrees, and caused property damage of 3.2 billion VND.

The legal representatives of the families of the 56 victims requested compensation totaling 19.7 billion VND. The entire medical expenses of the 44 injured people have been paid by the state. They continue to request compensation totaling 2.7 billion VND.

For property damage, the residents requested compensation of a total of 56.7 billion VND, including the entire value of the house, all assets in the apartment, money, gold...