Many shops in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have announced they had run out of stock, or increased the price of fire extinguishers for cars, due to high demand a few days after the Vietnamese government started enforcing a circular that requires automobile owners to equip their vehicles with the tools.

On the first morning after the circular took effect this week, many shops selling fire safety equipment in Hanoi were packed with customers.

As the stores already began to run out of the products, the price of the remaining fire extinguishers have soared to VND250,000 (US$11.12) from about VND130,000 ($5.78).  

Many shopkeepers in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday said that Chinese-made fire extinguishers are most preferred because of their rather cheap price, while experts recommend users to purchase products made by reputable brands with a reliable warranty policy.

At a store in District 5, the price of a fire extinguisher made in China has doubled to VND200,000 ($8.9).

“Prior to the implementation, we could only sell one product a year. However, we have already sold dozens of them within this morning and are out of stock despite the increased price,” the shopkeeper said.

He added that his product quality had been accredited by Vietnamese authorities.

An owner of another store in Tan Binh District, where similar products are on sale at VND250,000 ($11.12) apiece, said that they could barely meet demand even after the price rose from VND140,000 ($6.23).

Many people have flocked to the center of fire prevention and fighting equipment, under the management of the Ho Chi Minh City firefighting police department, to buy the products with ensured quality.

“The fire extinguisher equipped in my son’s vehicle was rejected by police officers as it did not meet applicable standards,” Nguyen Manh Thang, a resident of Hoc Mon District, said.

Therefore, Thang and his son decided to purchase an alternative at the center to have its standard guaranteed, he added.

Different types of fire extinguishers are being offered in the market at various prices, said Colonel Nguyen Quang Nhat, chief of staff at the Ho Chi Minh City firefighting department.

However, it is advisable that people source products with good quality at stores that have been approved by competent authorities, according to Col. Nhat.

Buyers should also pay close attention to guarantee stamps on the products, which should indicate a warranty period of six months to a year depending on each type, and whether the extinguishers have expired, the colonel suggested.

Such fire extinguishers should be kept at the recommended temperatures of -10 to 55 degrees Celsius, Colonel Huynh Ngoc Quan from the Ho Chi Minh City firefighting department said, adding that people should have their devices checked and replaced if they have already expired.

Vietnamese authorities on Wednesday implemented the new circular that requires cars with four seats or more to be equipped with fire prevention and fighting tools, namely fire extinguishers.

Owners of vehicles who fail to present the tools or use any outdated product will be fined from VND300,000 ($13.35) to VND500,000 ($22.25), depending on each case.

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