Phan Dinh Thanh at the police station
Police in Nghi Xuan District announced on July 1 that they had arrested and prosecuted Phan Dinh Thanh, 46, for violating fire fighting and prevention regulations.
According to police reports, on the afternoon of June 28, Thanh gathered rubbish in his garden which lies near a pine forest and lit a fire.
Due to the hot weather and strong wind, the fire spread all over his garden and out to the nearby forest. Thanh called other people to help put out the fire but failed.
Over 50 hectares of forest in Ha Tinh Province have been burnt down
Despite efforts from fire police and other rescue forces and local people, the fire continued to spread and burned down over 50 hectares of forest in three days.
