Fire Management of High-Rise Buildings: A Case Study in Hanoi, Vietnam

• Main Author: Nguyen Thi, Thuy Linh
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English; English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: HD Industries. Land use. Labor
• Online Access: http://ur.aeu.edu.my/862/1/Nguyen%20Thi%20Thuy%20Linh%20-%20Final%20Thesis%20for%20Printing%20-%2011.3.2021-1-24.pdf; http://ur.aeu.edu.my/862/1/Nguyen%20Thi%20Thuy%20Linh%20-%20Final%20Thesis%20for%20Printing%20-%2011.3.2021.pdf; http://ur.aeu.edu.my/862/; https://online.fliphtml5.com/sppgg/suxn/?1617778857111

Fires can cause great damages to properties, injuries and even loss to human life. In high rises, they are mostly caused by accidents or deliberate act of arson. In most countries government relies on policies incorporated into laws, rules and procedures to control fires and managed them through the establishment of specialist organization, such as the Fire and Rescue Department. This indicates that traditionally, control structure relies heavily on bureaucracy. Little has been discussed about other control alternatives. This study was carried out to fill this void and seeks to answer three questions. First, what are the root-causes of accidental fires in HRB? Second, is bureaucratic control sufficient as a control mechanism? Third, what are the potentials that market or clan control has as an alternative control mechanism to reduce accidental fires in HRB, in Vietnam.The study was carried out as an in-depth case study of four accidental HRB fires which occurred in Hanoi, Vietnam. Data was collected through in-depth analysis of the original reports and relevant documents such as current fire prevention regulations, building by laws and related statute enforced by the VFPPD. Insights of fire incidences was gathered through detailed face to face interviews with relevant stakeholders and those directly affected by the four fire cases. The theoretical framework employed is rooted in the concept of Organizational Control. Data was analyzed using content analysis and findings were framed for theory development based on the Grounded Theory approach.Results showed that bureaucratic control was inadequate to be the only mechanism of control in reducing fire incidences and damages, injuries and fatalities in fire situations. It was too technical and procedural in its approach, making it insufficient as a mechanism to institute effective control. This is because guidelines or definitive legal requirements only provide parameters for rule-following and functions only as a structure to facilitate controls. It cannot guarantee obedience as people are inherently selfish. Procedures, rules and regulations abeyance happened only when those serve their self-interest. Clan control has the potential to enhance organizational control if blended with bureaucratic control. Market control is not suitable because service performance cannot be exactly defined for performance evaluation purposes. In sum, for controls to be effective in the context of fire controls in Vietnam, the need to follow rules must be supplemented by innate sense of shared responsibility as a responsible citizen, and not only by their fear of the consequences of non-rules following. As such, this study suggests, in controlling HRB fires, residents must be educated and trained to enhance their fire prevention and fighting skills and to subconsciously develop a common belief that, collectively, they can prevent and reduce the risks of fires to their residential and workspaces.