Hanoi orders unlicensed five floors of apartment tower demolished

Workers could be seen Wednesday demolishing the top floor of My Home building in the western suburban district of Thach That, which has 200 apartments on 8.5 floors.

The owner had been licensed to build only 3.5 floors in April this year but he built five more, Tran Van Hoa, chairman of Tan Xa Commune, where it is situated, said.

The commune had made several official records during the illegal construction, but the owner continued with it, he added.

The license was canceled in June for the violation.

A worker removes the top floor of My Home building in Thach That District, Hanoi on Oct. 18, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Vo Hai

Thach That District chairman Nguyen Manh Hong said the building now does not have a construction permit, and it also violates fire safety regulations.

The officials who condoned the violations would be punished, and commune chairman Hoa has been suspended until the end of this year, he said.

The top half-floor has a coffee shop.

The building is newly built and had several tenants, but they have all moved out once authorities started to examine the construction.

Hanoi authorities have been cracking down on apartment building violations in recent weeks after a fire broke out in one in Thanh Xuan District last month, killing 56 people, including children.