Hanoi's Kim Lien Market Closes After 30 Years, Nearly 200 Vendors Relocate Due to Fire Safety Issues

In Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, the Kim Lien Market, a vital hub for residents for over three decades, has officially ceased operations due to fire safety deficiencies. On September 15, nearly 200 small merchants were observed dismantling shelves, boxing merchandise, and moving personal belongings as the market formally shut down. The once bustling marketplace was filled with the sounds of tape being scraped, heavy items being lifted, and the quiet sorrow of vendors parting with fixtures tied to their livelihoods for decades. Under the directives of the Kim Lien Ward People's Committee, all stock, equipment, and private assets had to be cleared from the premises by September 16. Local ward task forces were stationed on-site to assist stallholders with loading and hauling their goods. One vendor recalled setting up shop in 1991 when the grounds were merely dirt, stating, "We built the stalls and put up the corrugated roofing ourselves." Another merchant expressed deep heartache over bidding farewell to the market community after three decades side by side with longtime peers, confessing, "We felt closer here than at home. We shared laughter, watched out for each other, and now everyone is scattering to different corners—it's heartbreaking." Vendors understood the urgent necessity of fire safety protocols and affirmed their compliance with the closure mandate. However, many wished the eviction deadline had been extended by a few months to allow adequate time to arrange alternate livelihoods. "We’ve worked side by side for 30 years; there is deep attachment. But rules are rules, and we acknowledge that fire safety here falls short. Even so, had they given us a few months’ extension, it would have made a world of difference," the merchant added. Established in 1992, Kim Lien Market long served as an essential shopping hub for neighborhood residents and the primary livelihood for generations of small traders. Right up to its suspension, nearly 200 households maintained stalls inside. Operations ceased at noon on September 14, with municipal authorities disconnecting electricity and water supplies and erecting perimeter security barriers. According to ward officials, after decades of intensive use, the market’s physical infrastructure had severely deteriorated, failing multiple standard fire safety criteria. On May 13, 2025, the Fire Prevention, Fighting, and Rescue Police Division under the Hanoi City Police inspected the premises, formally identifying lingering safety shortcomings. Based on safety enforcement orders and on-site assessments, the Kim Lien Ward Investment and Infrastructure Project Management Board issued a market suspension notice on August 28, holding dialogue sessions to gather merchant feedback. On September 9, ward leaders met directly with stallholders to outline the closure policy, detail the rationale and relocation roadmap, and receive vendor petitions for review. With stalls shuttered, many household merchants are appealing for clear guidance on whether the market will ever reopen, or whether authorities can establish an interim temporary market so vendors can sustain daily incomes and stabilize their families while long-term plans take shape.