JavaScript is off. Please enable to view full site.

$1 mln fire truck a waste of funds

$1 mln fire truck a waste of funds

Thursday, November 14, 2013, 13:19 GMT+7

A fire truck, imported at a cost of over US$1 million 14 years ago, is now out of order after barely any use due to its non-compatibility with infrastructural conditions.   The fine engine, with a 72-meter ladder system, is the first of this kind in Vietnam so far. It is intended for extinguishing fires in high-rises but in fact, it cannot be used properly due to the actual condition of streets, houses, and bridges. Another issue is that the fire truck weighs 47-48 tons, which is far higher than the load capacity of many bridges; usually, they can only support trucks of under 30 tons. Therefore, the engine trucks can only travel a limited number of routes in the city. During the deadly fire that occurred at the International Trade Center (ICT) in October 2002 in District 1, which killed 60 people and injured 70 others, the fire engine was sent to the scene but its ladder did not function properly. According to some experts, the streets surrounding the center were too narrow for the ladder system to expand vertically. In addition, the center had only six stories, which was not suitable for the ladder, built to reach the top of a 22-story building. After the incident, the vehicle in question was only used by firefighters for practice. Moreover, the truck often has technical problems and the city has to pay for repairs, which costs 10,000-20,000 Euro per repair session. Currently, the truck has many defects and cannot operate safely. Therefore, the HCMC Fire Prevention and Control Department said it is working with the trucks’ manufacturer to assess the vehicle’s condition and come up with an appropriate repair plan, said Tran Trieu Duong, director of the department.

Tuoitrenews

More

Read more

;

Photos

VIDEOS

‘Taste of Australia’ gala dinner held in Ho Chi Minh City after 2-year hiatus

Taste of Australia Gala Reception has returned to the Park Hyatt Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Vietnamese woman gives unconditional love to hundreds of adopted children

Despite her own immense hardship, she has taken in and cared for hundreds of orphans over the past three decades.

Vietnam’s Mekong Delta celebrates spring with ‘hat boi’ performances

The art form is so popular that it attracts people from all ages in the Mekong Delta

Vietnamese youngster travels back in time with clay miniatures

Each work is a scene caught by Dung and kept in his memories through his journeys across Vietnam

Latest news