The cave where the accident happened (Photo by the police in Chi Lang District)

According to the initial information, at around 5:30 pm, a local man, 43, went into a cave to pump water into his crops. Around 10 minutes later, his 44-year-old wife did not see her husband return, so she called her sister-in-law to go down with her and check. After a long time with no sign of them returning, their neighbours contacted the authorities.

The rescuers quickly arrived and took the three victims out of the cave at 8pm the same day. Unfortunately, the man had passed away and his wife died on the way to the hospital. Meanwhile, the sister-in-law was sent to hospital in critical condition. She is undergoing intensive treatment and has seen recovery.

Initial investigation showed that the victims had died from toxic gases which were released by the water pump into the cave.