The information, released by Thanh Xuan District People’s Committee, states that the “anti-overflow” mini apartment building at 22/236/17 Khuong Dinh Street (Ha Dinh Ward) was granted a construction permit in 2016.
Thanh Xuan District People’s Committee issued a permit for Mr. N.T.H. to construct a 5-storey and 1-mezzanine floor facility. However, Mr. H. went against the permit and built an 8-storey and 1-mezzanine floor mini apartment building.
Mr. Ng.V.M., a resident on the 6th floor, disclosed that the construction started in 2016 and was completed in 2017. Nearly 60 households began to move in and live here.
All nearly 60 households have been evacuated from the building to fix the cracked column incident. Photo: Quang Phong
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The building was constructed on a plot of land with an area of about 300m2, consisting of 8 floors. The ground floor serves as a motorcycle parking lot and technical equipment area. Each floor from 2nd to 8th has 8 apartments.
Despite being a residence for nearly 60 households, this mini apartment only has one entrance/exit that is slightly wider than 1m. The staircase from the 1st to the 8th floor is narrow and passes through the basement for parking. The second exit is temporarily made of iron rods attached to the outside of the building.
Similar to the mini apartment building fire in Khuong Dinh Ward (Thanh Xuan District) that caused 56 fatalities in September 2023, this “anti-overflow” mini apartment building is located deep inside the alley and lane in Ha Dinh Ward. This has raised concerns about rescue and evacuation plans in case of emergencies.
In addition to the overbuilt floors, the load-bearing part of the building is missing one beam near the elevator compared to the design. According to Nguyen Hong Phong, Head of the Management Board of the “anti-overflow” mini apartment building, two columns in the building have cracked and lost load-bearing capacity. Furthermore, 4 columns around the building and the load-bearing beams have also been affected.
Faced with this situation, many residents in the mini apartment building expressed frustration and questioned the responsibility of the investor in the construction process. They feel that the incorrect design and construction that does not ensure structural integrity should make the investor fully responsible.
In response to the incident, on March 1st, the Hanoi People’s Committee requested Thanh Xuan District to review the survey, design, permit management, and construction of the mini apartment building at 22/236/17 Khuong Dinh Street.
The core of the cracked mini apartment building has forced nearly 60 households to evacuate.
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In addition, the Hanoi People’s Committee has requested Thanh Xuan District to determine the causes of the incident and handle the responsibilities of relevant organizations and individuals involved in the cracked column mini apartment building.
The Hanoi People’s Committee also requires the Department of Construction to thoroughly review the multi-storey, multi-apartment housing model throughout the city. Based on this, they will assess and analyze the legal nature, land management, construction investment, and complete the handling of violations of construction regulations. They will also recommend competent authorities to handle fire safety violations.
Quang Phong
