More than 90 karaoke parlors in Ho Chi Minh City were fined for various violations, including those related to fire safety, as police have been carrying out a campaign to inspect these venues since mid-August.

The Fire Prevention and Fighting and Rescue Police Division under the municipal Department of Public Security is carrying out a drive to examine all karaoke parlors, bars, and discos in the city from August 17 to September 15.

Ninety-one out of 414 karaoke parlors in the metropolis were fined a combined VND247 million (US$10,400) for multiple violations so far, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Luong Nguyen Hoang, deputy head of the firefighting police unit, said earlier this week.

Most of the violations were related to the installation of billboards, emergency exits, and fire safety equipment.

Officers also suspended two facilities as their fire prevention and control systems were not approved.

"At many karaoke shops, the billboards cover the front and balconies of the facilities, thus limiting their emergency exits and blocking the way of firefighters in case of a blaze,” Hoang elaborated.

On Sunday, a delegation in District 10 inspected Ban karaoke parlor on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street and ICOOL karaoke shop on Thanh Thai Street and detected several violations related to the use of rooftops and the installation of billboards.

A lot of karaoke bars invest in eye-catching billboards decorated with colorful lights and combustible materials, according to Le Minh Duc, head of the firefighting police unit in District 10.

These billboards pose a high risk of electrical problems that can lead to a fire, Duc explained.

On September 7, officers examined Thanh Ruby karaoke parlor in Go Vap District and discovered that the venue had no balcony or emergency exits.

The staircase of the facility was too small, and the fire alarms on the fourth and fifth floors did not work.

Fire safety at karaoke parlors has become a major concern to residents and authorities, especially after the deadly blaze that killed 32 people at a venue in southern Binh Duong Province last week.

On Sunday, a flame broke out at another karaoke shop in neighboring Dong Nai Province but all customers and employees managed to escape with no harm.

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