Hanoi halts licensing for nightlife after deadly fire

By Bennett Murray

HANOI, Vietnam (AA) - Authorities in Vietnam’s capital have issued a moratorium on licenses for new nightclubs and karaoke parlors in the wake of a deadly multi-structural fire.

The decision, which will go into effect Nov. 5, was issued two days after an inferno at a karaoke parlor in Hanoi killed 13 people, gutted three other buildings and destroyed scores of vehicles, reported VN Express news site Thursday.

The conflagration was caused by a small fire caused by welding in front of the building, reported the Tuoi Tre newspaper. The fire, which blocked the exit, was fanned by strong winds.

While no arrests have been reported, the police have launched a criminal investigation into the matter.

Authorities have also ordered a crackdown against businesses and apartment buildings that fail to meet fire safety standards.

“[You] can immediately close down a facility if it fails to meet safety standards,” Hoang Trung Hai, secretary of the Communist Party Committee for Hanoi, told local authorities at a meeting Wednesday according to VN Express.

Municipal statistics show around 80 percent of Hanoi's 1,204 karaoke parlors fail to meet fire safety standards, according to the news site.