On January 11, leaders of the Phu My Bac Commune People’s Committee confirmed that authorities were investigating the cause of a serious explosion that left two women dead, with initial assessments suggesting a bomb blast.
The explosion occurred at about 1.35 pm on January 10 as the two women, aged 47 and 63, were weighing and classifying scrap materials. One victim died at the scene, while the other was critically injured and later died the same day while being treated in hospital.
Later that afternoon, specialised units of the Gia Lai Provincial Police coordinated with relevant agencies to examine the scene and collect evidence for the investigation.
According to information from the site, during the scrap trading process the two women struck a rusted metal object. More than ten minutes later, the object suddenly exploded. Initial findings suggest the explosive device may have been a cluster munition left over from wartime, which had rusted over many years and was not recognised as dangerous.
The case remains under investigation by the authorities.