Deputy FM Extends Sympathy to OVs in Poland Affected by Shopping Centre Fire

In the wake of a devastating fire that ripped through the Marywilska 44 shopping centre in Warsaw, Poland, on May 12, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, who also serves as Chairwoman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese, has extended her heartfelt sympathy to Vietnamese nationals impacted by the blaze, VNA reported.

Through a letter sent on May 13, Hang expressed her most profound sympathy to the affected families.

She conveyed her belief that during this challenging time, overseas Vietnamese, businesses and organizations in Poland and across the world as well, will come together in a spirit of solidarity and compassion. This unified front will be crucial in assisting the affected families in overcoming their hardships and finding solutions to rebuild their lives and businesses.

The Marywilska 44 shopping centre housed an estimated 400 Vietnamese small traders.

The Foreign Ministry has instructed the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland to promptly work with the host authorities to ensure the protection of legitimate rights and interests of those impacted by the fire.

The embassy will prioritize expediting assistance with essential documents, allowing the affected families to regain normalcy as quickly as possible.

Hundreds of Vietnamese workers found employment in stalls, nail salons, and restaurants within the complex.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Poland Ha Hoang Hai announced that the embassy will be taking additional steps to support the affected community. This includes opening an extra reception session each week specifically dedicated to receiving and processing consular documents for Vietnamese citizens who lost their documents in the fire.

The embassy will also convene meetings with Warsaw's leaders to discuss potential support measures, including document issuance, financial aid, job placement, and a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Poland can be reached via the following hotlines: 48 782 257 359 and 48 601 925 288.

Meanwhile, several Vietnamese enterprises in Poland said they will receive those who lost their jobs after the fire and help the affected establishments to shift their business models.

The Vietnamese associations in the European country has set up a community-support board to help the citizens recover from the incident.

The shopping centre at No.44 Marywilska is a large retail centre in Poland with approximately 1,400 commercial units , of which about one-third were run by 400 Vietnamese with nearly 600 stalls. Hundreds of Vietnamese were working at nail rooms and restaurants there.

The fire broke out in the early morning of May 12. About 10 minutes after the fire alarm rang, firefighters arrived at the scence. However, due to the large amount of goods, including apparels, plus dry weather, the fire spread quickly. Almost the entire shopping centre was destroyed by fire.

As soon as getting information about the fire, the Vietnamese Embassy sent a working group to the scene, and coordinated with the Vietnamese Association in Poland to grasp the situation and promptly carry out citizen protection.

Ambassador Ha Hoang Hai works with the governor of Mazowsze province regarding the Marywilska 44 shopping complex fire on May 13, 2024, at provincial headquarters.

In a working session with Mariusz Frankowski, governor of Mazowieckie province regarding the Marywilska 44 shopping complex fire, Ambassador Hai informed him about the damage that Vietnamese small businesses suffered in the fire at the shopping center.

The governor pledged that within his authority, he will support the re-issuance of residence documents for those burned in the fire, as well as those who are in the process of obtaining residence documents, work permits, not only for cases issued by Mazowsze province but also for cases handled by other provinces.

The governor requested the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland to be the focal point to coordinate and discuss with the province about the related list of Vietnamese citizens re-doing these documents.

Frankowski also said that Polish authorities are working to investigate the cause of the blaze. Regarding issues of financial support, taxes, insurance, and workplace stabilization, he will continue to coordinate and work with relevant parties and the Vietnamese Embassy to step by step aid affected traders.

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