On January 3, two children were killed and eight other people injured in an explosion from the house of scrap dealer Nguyen Van Tien in Quan Do Village. The explosion left a huge hole, destroyed five houses and damaged dozens of other houses. Ammunition was found everywhere at the explosion site.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Defence to investigate the case. On the same day, Bac Ninh Province Police arrested and prosecuted Tien for illegally keeping and trading weapons.
Ammunition found at the scene of the explosion
They also discovered a warehouse that is suspected to contain other explosive materials near the explosion site. The provincial police are inspecting other scrap recycling facilities in Van Mon Commune.
Lieutenant-general Pham Xuan The, the former commander of Military Zone 1, said scattered ammunition after the explosion continued to pose a huge risk in many areas nation-wide. "This explosion can be compared to the explosion caused by a bomb that weighs hundreds of kilos," he said.
Statistics from the Technology Centre for Bomb and Mine Disposal show that there are 2,000 fatalities and thousands of people injured each year by explosive and ammunition-related accidents.
Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh asked related agencies to tighten management and report results by January 15.
Artillery shells, which are mostly discovered by farmers, are being sold widely in the mountainous areas of Quang Tri Province. However, they lack necessary knowledge about explosive materials. Tran Van Thanh, head of the provincial demining team, said Huong Hoa and Dakrong districts are mine-contaminated areas and at risks of fire and explosion.
