Empirical assessment of fire safety in high-rise residential buildings in Vietnam and residents’ knowledge and awareness regarding fire safety

Abstract

With increasing population, the demand for high-rise residential buildings has been increasing. The challenges posed by firefighting and evacuation during fires in high-rise buildings have attracted considerable attention. This study explores the fire safety facilities and management in high-rise residential buildings in Vietnam and the knowledge and awareness of residents regarding fire safety. These aspects were assessed using a questionnaire answered by residents of 32 high-rise buildings in Vietnam. The answers reveal that most residents had basic knowledge of fire safety in high-rise buildings, but their preparedness of a fire event was inadequate. It is recommended that the implementation of safety regulations and measures for reducing the risk of fires in buildings be enforced. Besides analyzing descriptive statistics, a multiple regression analysis was conducted to explore the key factors influencing the level of awareness and knowledge of fire safety among the residents of high-rise buildings. The results indicate that education level, gender, living floor, and participation in fire drills are the key factors influencing residents' levels of knowledge and awareness. The survey results serve as supportive reference for the relevant stakeholders for reducing the risk of fires and the resulting losses. Furthermore, this study offers valuable insights for future studies on high-rise residential buildings in Vietnam at larger scales.