Fire risk looms over traditional stilt houses in Điện Biên

ĐBP - Traditional stilt houses, with their wooden pillars, floors, and walls, are inherently susceptible to fire due to the flammable nature of their construction materials. This structural vulnerability has made fire safety a growing concern, particularly in regions where these homes remain common. In Điện Biên province, recent years have seen several unfortunate fire incidents involving these traditional dwellings.

In December 2022, a moment of carelessness with an open flame led to a devastating fire at the stilt house of Lò Văn Thắng in Huổi Vang village, Mường Mươn commune, Mường Chà district. Upon receiving the report, local authorities mobilized police officers, militia, and residents to fight the blaze. Three fire trucks and dozens of officers from the provincial Fire and Rescue Police Department were dispatched to the scene.

Traditional stilt houses are primarily constructed from wood, an easily flammable material.

However, as the house was constructed entirely of wood, the fire quickly spread, posing a serious challenge to firefighters. After more than an hour, the blaze was finally brought under control, preventing it from spreading to neighboring homes. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the house and all its contents were completely destroyed, with damages estimated at over VND 1.6 billion.

Just a year earlier, in November 2021, an electrical malfunction triggered a fire at the stilt home of Lò Văn Lan in Khẩu Cắm village, Mường Phăng commune, Điện Biên Phủ city. Despite the presence of people in the house and swift support from neighbors, the fire spread rapidly. As with most traditional stilt houses, every structural element, from columns and rooms to dividing walls, was made of wood and other combustible materials. Additionally, the wooden surfaces were coated with paint mixed with gasoline, making them highly flammable. These features rendered firefighting efforts nearly impossible. Lan’s home and most of his essential belongings were lost in the fire, with estimated damages around VND 800 million.

Electrical faults are a leading cause of stilt house fires.

According to the provincial Fire and Rescue Police, from 2021 to the present, Điện Biên has recorded 13 fires involving stilt houses, causing over VND 5.5 billion in damages. The majority of these fires were attributed to careless use of fire or electrical failures.

Two of the most recent incidents, in April and June 2025, occurred in Lọng Tóng village (Thanh Luông commune) and Phủ village (Noong Hẹt commune), both in Điện Biên district. Investigations confirmed that both fires were caused by electrical malfunctions.

Colonel Nguyễn Văn Thưởng, Deputy Head of the provincial Fire and Rescue Police Department, noted: “Most fires stem from a general lack of awareness among residents about fire prevention in their own homes. Many households are complacent, lack basic fire safety knowledge, and do not know how to respond to emergencies involving stilt houses.”

Once ablaze, most stilt houses are either severely damaged or completely destroyed.

He added that many households store highly flammable materials under their stilt houses, including firewood, gasoline and oil in vehicles, and straw for farming. Unsafe cooking practices, such as using open flames on wooden floors and installing substandard electrical systems, further exacerbate the risk. The use of fire for heating, cooking, and drying meat is also rarely supervised closely.

To mitigate these risks, the fire and rescue forces have stepped up public education campaigns via mass media, advising residents to build fireproof cooking areas using concrete or non-flammable materials, extinguish all embers after use, and install safe electrical systems. They also urge people to avoid placing wires directly on combustible surfaces, such as wooden beams or thatched walls, and to refrain from storing flammable materials like firewood, straw, gasoline, and gas canisters near homes or underneath the floors. Families are encouraged to keep water tanks, hoses, and fire extinguishers on hand for quick response.

Fire and rescue police officers train local residents in fire response skills.

In just the first half of 2025, the provincial Fire and Rescue Police Department conducted 16 fire safety training sessions and seven practical fire drill events, reaching over 15,300 participants. Fire prevention messages were broadcast over 14,000 times via local loudspeakers across 129 communes, wards, and towns; 620 LED screen campaigns were conducted in public areas; and 3,000 safety pamphlets and family fire prevention handbooks were distributed.

Now that the winter-spring harvest season has ended and preparations for the summer-autumn crop are underway, many households are storing straw and farming tools containing fuel under their stilt homes. This makes the fire risk even greater. Alongside the efforts of firefighting authorities, each resident must remain vigilant, strictly follow fire safety regulations, and take responsibility for protecting lives and property from preventable disasters.

Thu Hằng
Comment

You have 500/500 characters left

Please enter 5 or more characters!!!

Recent news

  • 'Village voices shape local governance

    Village voices shape local governance

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    ĐBP - In the early days of operating under a newly streamlined government structure, local leaders across various communes in Điện Biên province are hitting the ground running. Despite tight schedules and initial challenges, many have prioritized making their presence felt at the grassroots level: visiting villages, listening to residents, and gaining firsthand understanding of local needs. These visits are not symbolic: they lay the groundwork for concrete solutions and realistic development plans tailored to each community.
  • 'Streamlining the apparatus to boost operational quality and effectiveness

    Streamlining the apparatus to boost operational quality and effectiveness

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    ĐBP - In line with directions from the central government and provincial authorities, the Việt Nam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee of Điện Biên province has restructured and streamlined its organizational apparatus. This includes the provincial and grassroots-level branches of the VFF, political-social organizations, and mass associations assigned by the Party and State, aiming to improve operational efficiency in alignment with local government structures.
  • 'Border guards strengthen grassroots-level ties with border communities

    Border guards strengthen grassroots-level ties with border communities

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    ĐBP - Embracing President Hồ Chí Minh’s teachings on community engagement, over the past five years (2020-2025), officers and soldiers of Điện Biên’s border guard force (BGF) have lived among locals, stayed rooted in villages, and worked closely with local authorities to implement effective grassroots-level initiatives. The “green beret’ soldiers’ practical efforts have helped communities overcome hardships, boost livelihoods, and strengthen the bond between border guards and frontier residents.
  • 'Peaceful life in Huổi Lóng

    Peaceful life in Huổi Lóng

    CULTURE - TOURISM -
    ĐBP - Nestled at the foot of a mountain facing the majestic Đà River, Huổi Lóng is a highland hamlet in Tủa Thàng commune, Điện Biên province, known for its breathtaking natural scenery and rich cultural heritage of the Dao ethnic group. For travelers who enjoy exploration and cultural immersion, Huổi Lóng is a must-visit destination on any journey through the Northwestern region.
  • 'Enhancing leadership capacity and combat strength of Party organizations in the Điện Biên provincial Border Guard Command

    Enhancing leadership capacity and combat strength of Party organizations in the Điện Biên provincial Border Guard Command

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    ĐBP - The Party Committee of the Điện Biên provincial Border Guard Command currently comprises 24 grassroots Party organizations, including 7 cell branches and 17 grassroots Party committees, with a total of 52 cell branches under the Party committees. The Party Committee has 713 Party members. Strengthening the leadership capacity and combat strength of grassroots Party organizations serves as a solid foundation and decisive factor in successfully fulfilling political tasks, building strong units, and ensuring Party building within the provincial Border Guard Command.
  • 'Firmly safeguarding national sovereignty and border security

    Firmly safeguarding national sovereignty and border security

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    ĐBP - As the core and specialized force in managing and protecting national sovereignty and border security, the Điện Biên provincial Border Guard Command has consistently implemented a comprehensive range of professional border defense measures. It has also actively coordinated with provincial departments, sectors, and all levels of Party committees and authorities to ensure the firm protection of national borders and security.
  • 'Joint efforts to eliminate makeshift houses for the poor

    Joint efforts to eliminate makeshift houses for the poor

    SOCIAL AFFAIRS -
    ĐBP - In response to the emulation movement “Joining Hands to Eliminate Makeshift and Dilapidated Houses for Poor Households in Điện Biên province in 2025,” the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee of the province has been actively mobilizing resources to support poor households in building new homes. This contributes to the goal of eradicating makeshift and dilapidated houses for poor households across the province by 2025.
  • 'Improving training quality, building resolve and determination among new recruits

    Improving training quality, building resolve and determination among new recruits

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    ĐBP - Guided by the motto of “basic, practical, and solid training,” the Training and Mobility Battalion under the Điện Biên provincial Border Guard Command has been effectively training new recruits. The goal is to forge soldiers with strong political resolve, excellent technical and tactical skills, and enduring physical strength, ready to carry out all assigned missions with excellence.
  • 'Communal officials overcome challenge of small headquarters and large number of staffers

    Communal officials overcome challenge of small headquarters and large number of staffers

    SOCIAL AFFAIRS -
    ĐBP - Following the administrative merger, most communes in Điện Biên province have faced significant difficulties regarding facilities and working conditions, headquarters are cramped and inadequate. Nevertheless, commune-level officials have made great efforts to overcome these obstacles, flexibly organizing and arranging workspaces to ensure smooth operation of the new administrative apparatus and deliver the best service to the people.
  • '“New vitality” from remote mountainous villages

    “New vitality” from remote mountainous villages

    BUSINESS -
    ĐBP - Following the motto “easy tasks first, difficult ones later,” with flexibility, creativity, and alignment with local realities, many villages in border communes across the province have now met the criteria for the new-style rural development program; some have even achieved the status of model new-style rural villages. These results have brought a “new vitality” that is transforming the face of mountainous rural areas and improving the material and spiritual lives of the people.
  • 'The dilemma of price listing at traditional markets

    The dilemma of price listing at traditional markets

    BUSINESS -
    ĐBP - Listing prices for goods and services is a mandatory requirement for all production and business entities. However, at small-scale grocery stores and traditional markets, price listing is often ignored or carried out in a superficial, perfunctory manner, lacking sincerity and failing to reflect a genuine commitment to civilized commerce.
  • 'Điện Biên relentlessly fights the “white death”

    Điện Biên relentlessly fights the “white death”

    NEWS - POLITICS -
    ĐBP - Nearly 2.5 tons of synthetic drugs, 1 ton of heroin, and a large number of related exhibits have been seized as part of Điện Biên province’s crackdown on drug crimes since the implementation of Directive No.36-CT/TW, issued by the Politburo on August 16, 2019, on strengthening and improving the effectiveness of drug prevention and control. These staggering figures reaffirm that the war against drug crime is as fierce and unforgiving as ever.
  • 'Improving quality of cooperative operations

    Improving quality of cooperative operations

    BUSINESS -
    ĐBP - The collective economy, with cooperatives at its core, remains one of the key drivers for promoting socio-economic development, especially in rural and mountainous areas. However, in reality, most cooperatives in the province are operating inefficiently, at a minimal level, with small scale, limited connectivity, and an underwhelming contribution to improving members’ income or driving local economic growth.