Up to 4,737 rental houses in Ho Chi Minh City still do not meet fire prevention and safety standards and will be forced to close if these issues are not addressed by March 30, according to authorities.

The city’s fire prevention and rescue police division, in coordination with local officials, conducted inspections and fire safety awareness campaigns at several boarding house establishments in the outlying district of Nha Be on Friday.

The move comes ahead of a strict deadline under Government Directive 19 that mandates the suspension of operations for non-compliant properties after March 30.

These properties include mini-apartments, mixed-use buildings, and boarding houses.

Thai Van Hung, a boarding house owner on Le Van Luong Street, reported that his property previously lacked adequate fire safety equipment. 

Following guidance from authorities, he has installed essential items such as respirator masks, mini fire extinguishers, and fire escape ladders to ensure safety.

The division’s officials confirmed that Nha Be has 1,551 registered boarding houses, all of which have now met fire safety standards. 

However, fire code violations remain a pressing concern across the city.

Prior to the directive’s enforcement, the city’s police inspected over 60,400 establishments, identifying more than 15,700 with fire safety violations.

Of these, more than 13,900 are boarding houses or subdivided rental units, while 930 are residential buildings used for combined business or production purposes -- many posing a high fire risk.

Common violations included inadequate escape routes, insufficient fire safety equipment, unsafe or overloaded electrical wiring, and a lack of fire safety awareness among tenants.

The police division has directed local units to intensify inspections, awareness campaigns, and guidance for non-compliant establishments, urging them to rectify violations before the deadline.

The number of non-compliant establishments has dropped 61.5 percent since the directive’s issuance, now standing at 5,155. 

This includes 4,737 boarding houses and rental units, and 418 mixed-use residential and commercial properties.

Authorities are urging landlords to act immediately rather than wait until the March 30 deadline. Post-deadline, any facility failing to meet fire safety standards will be shut down.

In 2024 alone, Ho Chi Minh City recorded 437 fire incidents, resulting in 16 deaths, 21 injuries, and an estimated VND12.5 billion (US$488,000) in property damage.

Electrical system and equipment malfunctions were the most common causes.

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