Police decided to begin procedures for a criminal case after an explosion killed 10 people in HCM City, suspected to have been caused by pyrotechnics stored for use in film production.
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| Blast originated from Le Minh Phuong's house |
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| Police decided to begin procedures for a criminal case after the explosion |
The explosion occurred around midnight on February 24 on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street killing 10 and injuring three.
Le Anh Tuan, spokesman for the HCM City Police Department, said the source of the explosion was the house of Le Minh Phuong, Director of Lac Viet Entertainment Technology Company, which specialises in special effects on film sets.
The police suspect that Phuong improperly stored dangerous props such as weapons and explosives meant to be used for movie production. Bullet shell casings were found at his residence after the incident.
The police has stated that Lac Viet had a business permit issued by the Department of Planning and Investment, but they are investigating whether they had the authorisation to store explosives.
Le Hoang Quan, Chairman of HCM City People's Committee, said, "The explosion has caused heavy damages. We will carry out an investigation and inspect surrounding houses for any structural damages that may have resulted."
A number of actors have expressed their shock, saying that Phuong was well regarded in the industry as being an explosives expert.
"Almost anyone who has worked on a war film would have known him. I've always known him to be careful, and am in disbelief that something like this could have happened. At the same time, the methods we use for pyrotechnic special effects in this country are outdated and often improvised, so they pose more of a danger," said actress My Uyen.
