Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen on June 11 issued Plan No.163/KH-UBND outlining preparations for a citywide live drill to respond to a toxic chemical incident, scheduled to take place in Q4/2025.

The drill is part of Hanoi's efforts to implement key objectives in the 2021-2025 plan for preventing and responding to toxic chemical incidents, approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade under Decision No.1129/QD-BCT.

It also follows the city's broader 2025 program to enhance the management of industrial chemical production, trading, and usage.

The upcoming exercise aims to strengthen coordination among city agencies, practice emergency procedures, and ensure an effective response to complex chemical emergencies.

It will take place over nine days, including training, coordination rehearsals, and the full-scale drill.

The event will be held at Meiko Electronics Vietnam Co., Ltd., located in Lot CN9 of Thach That – Quoc Oai Industrial Park in Phung Xa Commune, Thach That District.

The specific dates will be decided by the city's drill command.

The city's Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue will lead the exercise and coordinate participating units and equipment.

The Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade will be responsible for disseminating information about the drill's scale, objectives, scenarios, and timeline, and for leading the on-site operations.

The drill scenario involves a truck carrying formaldehyde and hydrochloric acid (HCl) from a company based outside Hanoi.

While traveling inside Meiko Electronics Vietnam's internal road, the truck collides with a tank truck that is refilling an HCl storage container.

The accident causes a fire involving formaldehyde and heavy vaporization of hydrochloric acid, leaving three drivers unconscious due to toxic inhalation.

The chemical fire and vapor spread to surrounding areas and pose a threat to the company's production facilities, overwhelming the site's internal response capacity and requiring immediate assistance from city-level emergency services.

The drill will feature both a command-based simulation using documents and visuals and a live field exercise with full deployment of emergency forces.

Among participating units, the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade will lead and coordinate the drill and develop the overall scenario.

The Hanoi Capital Command will deploy 100 officers and soldiers with specialized equipment, including decontamination and chemical reconnaissance vehicles.

The Hanoi Police Department will send fire and rescue teams with fire trucks and rescue vehicles.

The Hanoi Department of Health will deploy two emergency response teams and ambulances.

The Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment will carry out environmental monitoring and damage assessments.

The Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade is also tasked with preparing drill documents, overseeing training and rehearsals, and ensuring communication and coordination with participating agencies.

The Hanoi Capital Command, acting as the standing agency for search and rescue operations, will maintain communication with the National Committee for Disaster Response and Search and Rescue, and ensure sufficient personnel and equipment for the drill.

The Hanoi Police Department will manage traffic around the drill site, secure the initial isolation zone, and simulate crime scene protection and investigation.

The Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment will support scenario development and provide personnel and equipment.

The Hanoi Center for Environmental Monitoring and Resources will conduct environmental assessments and damage evaluations related to chemical exposure.

The Hanoi Department of Health will ensure that medical units participating in the drill develop response plans and receive specialized training to handle chemical exposure emergencies effectively.