Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen The Thao demanded authority of Hoan Kiem district to continue its support for victims of the French villa collapse early this week, including the provision of temporary homes for their families and those affected by the incident. The district must take action to ensure safety for residents of nearby buildings, he stressed in a meeting with relevant municipal bodies on September 24. The municipal Department of Health was asked to offer the victims the best possible medical care while police were requested to promptly investigate the cause of the collapse. The local Department of Construction was tasked to work with the Zone 1 Railway Project Management Board, the building’s operator, to conduct site survey and assess impacts of the collapse to nearby buildings. If any insecurity is spotted, the construction department needs to issue a request for residential displacement without delay and set up temporary homes for displaced people, the city’s leader said. The two-storey old-age French villa in No. 107 Tran Hung Dao street, Hoan Kiem district, was collapsed on September 22, leaving two dead and six others injured. After the incident, localities nationwide were requested to check and discover unsafe and outdated buildings, especially old villas and structures, while owners and occupants of such were asked to stay alert and keep authorities informed of any developments. It is estimated that Hanoi has 1,586 colonial-era villas, including 562 private-owned and 1,024 State-owned, many of which are under bad condition and require renovation.-VNA