Robot joins firefighting drill in Vietnam's Can Tho

The drill was organized by the Can Tho Department of Public Security at Hong Loan 5C Apartment Complex in Cai Rang Ward.

Personnel from 15 departments, agencies and organizations, along with police and military forces, participated in the exercise, according to Colonel Pham Quach Hung, head of the Fire Prevention, Firefighting and Rescue Police Division under the Can Tho Department of Public Security.

The vehicles and equipment deployed at the scene included command vehicles, fire engines, ladder trucks, a firefighting robot, an aerial platform, rescue vehicles, water-supply vehicles and ambulances.

The aerial platform was provided by the municipal Military Command, while the firefighting robots, smoke extraction vehicles and command vehicles were among the modern equipment available in Can Tho.

The simulated scenario began at around 2:30 pm with a car in the first-floor parking area of Hong Loan 5C Apartment Complex assumed to catch fire after an electrical short circuit, with the fire spreading to other vehicles.

A gas leak was also assumed to cause a fire in an apartment on the seventh floor of Block C, with flames and smoke spreading to nearby apartments.

As residents tried to move their belongings to safety, a driver was assumed to mistakenly press the accelerator and collide with another vehicle, leaving two people trapped inside the car.

About 500 people were assumed to be trying to escape the building, while another 20 were trapped on the seventh and eighth floors and 15 others were stranded on the rooftop.

The 45-minute drill was conducted in three stages.

In the first stage, on-site forces tackled the fires, guided residents to safety, provided first aid and assessed the number of people trapped inside.

Next, firefighting and rescue forces from the municipal police then arrived with specialized equipment to fight the fires, rescue trapped people, provide first aid and transport casualties to hospitals.

Finally, municipal police leaders advised the municipal administration to mobilize additional personnel and equipment from agencies, organizations and households to assist with firefighting operations.

Tran Chi Hung, vice-chairman of the Can Tho People's Committee, said the exercise was intended to assess the ability of different forces to coordinate their response to fires, explosions, incidents and accidents.

It also aimed to improve residents' awareness and skills in fire prevention, firefighting and evacuation, particularly in high-rise residential buildings, shopping centers and office towers where large numbers of people gather and fire risks can be more complex.