On the morning of December 29, 2024, the DEOCA Tunnel Operation Management Unit, in coordination with the Phu Yen Provincial Police, conducted a large-scale provincial-level firefighting and emergency rescue exercise. The exercise involved the mobilization of multiple forces and specialized equipment.
Overall scene of the ceremony
According to the simulated scenario, at 8:25 AM, a fire occurred at the car repair area on the first floor of the Toyota Dung Tien showroom (Phu Yen). The cause was determined to be an employee who had charged a car battery the previous afternoon but forgot to disconnect it, resulting in continuous charging overnight. By the following morning, the overcharged battery caused a short circuit, igniting the fire. At that time, approximately 20 cars of various types were parked nearby.
At the time occurred fire, the facility's automatic fire alarm and suppression system was undergoing maintenance therefore was not operated (only the wall-mounted fire suppression system and external fire hydrants could be manually activated). Additionally, there were no employees present in the affected area, leading to a delayed fire detection by the on-site firefighting force. By then, the fire had spread to an area of approximately 50 square meters, with smoke and combustion byproducts spreading through doorways, hallways, and stairwells. As a result, 45 employees working in the building were affected by high temperatures, smoke, and toxic combustion gases.
Emergency response exercising
The DEOCA Tunnel Operation Management Unit participated in Phase 3 of the exercise scenario, focusing on: Mobilizing personnel, equipment, and resources from local agencies, organizations, and military units stationed in the province. Their mission was to reinforce rescue operations and launch a full-scale assault to completely extinguish the fire mass.
The DEOCA Tunnel Operation Management Unit’s team participated in the exercise
Accordingly, upon receiving orders from the leaders of the Provincial People's Committee, the DEOCA Tunnel Operation Management Unit immediatetly mobilized 1 fire truck along with 7 personnel to the scene, operating under the command of the Firefighting and Rescue Commander. The team then moved the fire truck was parked in the northwest concrete yard of the facility, and deployed a high-pressure water nozzle to extinguish the fire mass.
The fire mass was then completely extinguished. The forces guided 30 individuals to self-escape safely, directly rescued successfully 15 people trapped in the fire mass to a safe place, and relocated dozens of vehicles and valuable assets to a secure location. Thereby, protected most of the area at the showroom, contributed to minimizing damage to both lives and property while ensuring security and order in the locality.
Mr. Dao My, Vice Chairman of the Phu Yen Provincial People's Committee, highly appreciated the spirit of responsibility, meticulous, scientific and effective preparation of all participating forces. He particularly praised the close coordination between the DEOCA Tunnel Operation Management Unit, the Phu Yen Provincial Police, and other relevant agencies and units.
Mr. My noted that today's exercise successfully simulated a complex fire and explosion scenario that closely mirrored real-life situations and was handled according to the planned script. Professionalism, flexibility, and decisiveness were demonstrated at every stage, from detection, alarm activation, and rescue operations to the effective deployment of firefighting measures. Notably, the timely mobilization of support forces and equipment, along with seamless coordination between units, helped to quickly handle, completely extinguished the fire while ensuring the safety of both people and property.
Colonel Nguyen Thai Hoang, Deputy Director of the Phu Yen Provincial Police, emphasized that this provincial-scale firefighting and rescue exercise is a significant acitvity, aimed to enhance coordination capabilities and readiness to respond to emergency situations, protecting the safety of people's lives and property. Through this exercise, authorities can not only assess the competence and problem-solving skills of participating forces but also promptly identify limitations and shortcomings to learn from the experience, thereby improving response plans.
News: Thu Thao
