Residents of a high-rise in a wealthy area of Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, recently encountered serious difficulties when unexpected flooding damaged their furniture and broken elevators left thousands of people either waiting in long lines or forced to take the stairs for days.

On Monday afternoon, a representative from Savills Vietnam, the management company for the Masteri An Phu apartment building in Thao Dien Ward, Thu Duc City, announced that five elevators in Block B have returned to normal operation, while two are still undergoing inspection and repair.

The company also committed to supporting and compensating residents for the damages caused by the recent flooding incident.

Earlier, residents of Block B at Masteri An Phu had reported to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that they were forced to queue for just two working elevators out of seven, as the others remained out of service due to slow repairs.

Resident M. said that for over a week, the situation had been challenging, with thousands of people sharing just two elevators, leading to significant delays during peak times in the early morning and late afternoon.

To manage the congestion, the management board placed plastic chairs near the elevators so residents could sit and wait.

Resident L. expressed frustration over having to share just two elevators with too many people, resulting in waits of up to half an hour to reach her apartment.

“I’ve been late for work and meetings several days in a row,” L. said. “Even when I leave earlier, the elevators are still too crowded.”

Residents noted that during peak times in the following days, the management added a third elevator, but it was limited to carrying no more than five people, while the other two operational elevators remained overloaded.

As of the afternoon of August 8, a Tuoi Tre reporter observed that four elevators had signs indicating they were under maintenance and repair, while three others were in operation.

In the days that followed, two additional elevators were brought back into service.

It was not just the elevators that were affected; many households also experienced a water overflow incident.

According to reports, on the early morning of August 2, a malfunction in the water supply pipe on the 17th floor of Block B caused water to spill into the hallway, overflow into the elevators, and flood apartments from the 17th floor down to the third floor.

Since residents were asleep at the time, the issue went unnoticed until morning, when they were shocked to find their apartments flooded and their furniture damaged.

The apartment management board quickly shut off the water supply and sent staff to inspect and repair the damage.

By the afternoon of the same day, the water pipes were back in normal operation.

On Monday afternoon, a representative from Savills Vietnam told Tuoi Tre that elevators are significant assets, so when issues arise, the management board must coordinate with contractors, technicians, and insurers to diagnose and repair the problems, which can cause delays in immediate fixes.

The representative acknowledged that with thousands of residents in the building, elevator issues inevitably impact many people.

However, they emphasized that safety is the top priority, and elevators will only be used again once they have been fully inspected and deemed safe.

Regarding the water overflow incident, the representative reported that on the evening of August 9, the management board, along with the administration of the Masteri An Phu apartment building, held a meeting with affected residents.

They assessed the damage for each affected household and will coordinate with the insurance company to process support and compensation.

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