Police examine the scene of a warhead explosion in Tran Van Thoi district, Ca Mau province, on October 1 (Photo: VNA) Ca Mau (VNA) – Two households in Tran Van Thoi town, of Tran Van Thoi district in the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau, have submitted explosives to the relevant local agency after a warhead explosion left three people dead and two others injured in the locality on October 1.
Tran Van Ky and Trinh Van Kha, who live near the explosion site, handed in two leftover warheads, measuring 105mm and 155mm with great destructive capacity, announced Colonel Nguyen Thanh Phong, Vice Political Commissar of Ca Mau’s Military Command, on October 3.
The Military Command has isolated the warheads for dismantling as per regulations, the officer said.
The October 1 incident occurred in the private house of local resident Nguyen Van Thang, born in 1966, one of the dead victims.
The other two were Nguyen Thuy Duy, born in 1996 and Thang’s daughter-in-law, and Nguyen Anh Thu, Duy’s 20-month-old baby daughter.
The explosion left a huge hole in the building and damaged much of the neighbouring house.
Meanwhile, Thang’s wife – Le Hong Anh, 53 – and a neighbour – Le Thi Ni, 31 – were also seriously injured.
According to initial information, Thang used the warhead as a prop while he was repairing an engine with welding equipment, leading to the explosion.
Many households in Ca Mau have kept hold of explosives and used them as production tools, believing the warheads had been made safe.
Aside from enhancing the management, inspection, and settlement of explosive storage cases, local authorities will intensify communication work to raise public awareness of the issue.
According to the Military Command, about 3.5 tonnes of explosives have been collected in Ca Mau so far this year. Most of them were detected by local residents while they were reforming land for production and construction. –VNA
VNA
