How Can Developers Ensure Fire Safety at Apartment Buildings?

Given that people live and cook in their homes, apartment buildings should always be prepared for the risk of fires. According to Fire and Rescue Department, the main causes of fires and explosions are faulty electrical equipment, negligent use of fire and heat sources, and burning garbage. Developers must understand what causes fires, how to protect their communities, and must comply with all the legal regulations on fire prevention and fighting.

Standards and Regulations for Fire Prevention and Fighting at High-Rise Buildings

According to Article 6 of Decree No. 136/2020/ND-CP, residential areas must satisfy the following fire safety requirements:

• Buildings must have regulations on fire prevention and fighting, use of electricity, fire, flammable materials and explosives.
• Buildings must have sufficient and quality traffic systems, water supply for firefighting, fire spread-preventing solutions and fire prevention and fighting equipment following the technical regulations and standards on fire prevention and fighting and the regulations by the Ministry of Public Security.
• There must be a firefighting plan approved by the competent authority.
• The residents must understand how to prevent fires and buildings must have on-site teams to fight potential fires.

The developer must ensure the entire project meets the above fire prevention and fighting standards. Below are the development and construction responsibilities for developers according to Article 14 of Decree No. 136/2020/ND-CP.

Developers must:

• Create designs according to regulations and approved planning. Construction shall start when the design dossier has been appraised by the competent firefighting authority.
• Organise construction and construction inspections and supervision according to the appraised fire prevention and fighting design. If there are any changes to the design, an additional design shall be prepared to ensure compliance with regulations and standards, and the change must be appraised before construction.
• Organise fire prevention and fighting commissioning if the project is subject to special requirements and take responsibility for the commissioning results.
• Ensure fire safety from construction to handover and operations.
• Provide dossiers on the appraisal of fire prevention and fighting design and commissioning of their project, which will be presented at the request of the competent authority.
• Present dossiers on the appraisal of fire prevention and fighting design and commissioning of their project at the request of the competent authority

The design and construction of high-rise buildings must comply with the following criteria:

1. Design must ensure effective fire prevention and fighting

According to the regulations in clause 12 of the Fire Prevention and Fighting Standard (TCVN 6160:1996), a building must have a fire alarm. Depending on the nature of the use, developers must implement a suitable system. The following requirements are essential for a fire alarm system:

• Quick detection.
• Clear signal transmission.
• Reliable performance.
• Must comply with TCVN 5738:2021.

If the fire alarm system is connected to the firefighting system, it must act as an alarm but also automatically trigger the firefighting system to immediately extinguish the fire.

The fire alarm system must be checked at least twice a year. Periodic maintenance is performed based on the conditions of the environment surrounding the installation site and the manufacturer's regulations. The maintenance of the entire system must be organised at least once every two years, according to clause 6 of TCVN 3890:2009.

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2. Fully equipped fire extinguishers

According to Clause 5 of TCVN 3890:2009, all areas with higher risk must have portable or wheeled fire extinguishers, including those already equipped with firefighting systems. Automatic fire extinguishers are provided for areas with lower fire risks, where there are fewer people. The position of automatic fire extinguishers must align with the area and extinguisher type. Fire extinguishers must cover an area of 50 - 150 sq m. Using a combination of automatic and portable fire extinguishers maximises safety in case of a fire or explosion.

Fire extinguishers must be arranged properly, avoiding a concentration or an undersupply.

3. Standardised escape routes

There must be at least two escape routes inside a building to ensure residents and occupiers can safely evacuate in case of an emergency. If a single building level spans more than 300 sq m, the common corridors or paths must have at least two exits leading to two separate sets of emergency staircases. If each level is smaller than 300 sq m, the developer may design one set of evacuation staircases on one side, while the other side must have a balcony connecting to external staircases (Clause 8 of TCVN 6160:1996).

Escape doors must not have locks and must be able to open from the inside without keys. For buildings higher than 15 m, these doors, except for apartment doors, must be solid or made with tempered glass.

Doors to the escape routes must be protected against smoke entry with a tight seal, must be solid, and must have self-closing mechanisms. (Clause 3.2.11 of QCVN 06:2021/BXD).

4. Other requirements for fire prevention and fighting

According to the regulations in Clause 7 of the Fire Prevention and Fighting Standard for High-rise Buildings (TCVN 6160:1996), developers must allocate empty spaces in front of the exit on the ground level to ensure that everyone in the building can evacuate should the need arise.

There must be at least two fire hydrants with a rate of 2.5 litres per second and a hydrant height of 1.25 m above the floorplate. These fire hydrants should be close to exits, lobbies, corridors, and other easily accessible locations. Each fire hydrant must have a locking valve, spray nozzle, and a flexible hose reel of an appropriate length, according to TCVN 2622:1995.

Developers must carefully evaluate the construction and design of the fire prevention and fighting systems to ensure compliance with all legal regulations. During the design, construction, or installation process, professional consultancy teams can help developers anticipate issues and minimise potential risks.

Learn more about our technical system assessment and solutions services here.

How Developers and Occupiers Can Ensure Fire Safety

1. Developers and management teams:

• Display fire safety regulations, no fire and smoking signs, and firefighting instructions.
• Restrict flammable materials such as gasoline, oil, gas, and other dangerous substances from being brought into the project.
• Prepare appropriate firefighting equipment, tools and first aid kits according to the scale of the project and building.
• Develop a plan for regular fire drills and training. Organise programs and activities to raise awareness of fire prevention and fighting for the residents and occupiers.

2. Residents, occupiers and guests:

• Regularly check electrical devices; remember to turn off unused devices before leaving, even for a short period.
• In case of being away for an extended period, contact the management board to cut electricity to ensure fire safety.
• Avoid storing flammable substances such as gas cylinders and gasoline.
• Do not burn joss paper or other materials inside the unit or any other area. Use dedicated areas for burning joss paper.
• Participate in drills and activities organised by the management board to raise awareness of fire prevention and fighting.
• Adhere to other fire prevention and fighting regulations per the law.

To ensure fire safety, developers must utilise a skilled, professional and experienced Property Management and Consultancy team.

At Savills, we help developers meet the legal requirements for fire prevention and fighting and provide practical solutions to ensure long-term safety.

Learn more about Savills Property Management and Consultancy services here.

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