Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has extended his condolences to families of seven victims killed in two fires in Hanoi and the northern province of Bac Giang on June 16, while requesting extra efforts to find out causes and promptly handle consequences.

In an official dispatch sent on June 17 to leaders of ministries, sectors, Hanoi, Bac Giang, and other provinces and centrally-run cities, PM Chinh asked the People’s Committees of Hanoi and Bac Giang to offer material and spiritual support to the bereaved families. They were told to closely coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security to deploy forces to address the consequences, urgently investigate the fires’ causes, clarify the responsibilities of relevant organisations and individuals, and strictly handle any violation according to the provisions of law.

The Ministry of Public Security was asked to coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, agencies and localities to maintain the serious, drastic, effective and substantive implementation of the Government and PM's documents and directions on fire prevention and control; review, classify, and immediately take effective fire safety solutions for rental houses, especially multi-storey and multi-apartment ones; and adamantly deal with wrongdoings.

The Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Education and Training must coordinate with the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to increase warnings of fire and explosion risks, especially on hot days; and continue to disseminate fire safety knowledge and skills along with escape skills for students and children during summer in suitable forms.

The Government leader urged the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and local People's Committees to examine and guide people in managing and using electricity safely, and addressing improper electricity use, thus helping limit electricity-related fires and explosions.

In the early morning of June 16, three people, including one child, died in a fire at a two-floor house in Da Mai ward of Bac Gia꧃ng city, Bac Giang province. Meanwhile, another happened at a six-storey house in Dinh Cong ward of Hanoi’s Hoꦇang Mai district in the evening the same day, killing three children and their grandmother./.