Blast from possible Tet firecrackers kills 4 students

An explosion broke out at a house in an alley in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 10 on Saturday, killing four students and injuring another. It is suspected that the blast occurred when one victim was mixing banned chemicals to make firecrackers for this upcoming Tet (lunar New Year). They were Ngo Quang Thien (20, electricity faculty), Doan Trung Hieu (23, transportation faculty), Bui Quoc Loi (21, in-service student of civil engineering faculty) and Nguyen Hoang Nhan (22, in-service student of civil engineering faculty), according to Vo Tan Thong, head of the school’s student management department. In addition, student Le Van Ha, (20, electricity faculty) was seriously burned, and is being treated at hospital. The four bodies are being kept at An Binh Hospital and will be sent home after autopsies have been performed. The National University of Ho Chi Minh City is conducting necessary procedures to support their families, Thong added. Sudden blast According to initial information, when the explosion occurred, Nguyen Thi Nam (59, house owner) immediately ran into the street and shouted out to the students to leave the house. As the flame flared up so quickly, the entire house was engulfed in flames and smoke after just a few minutes. Many people living in the neighborhood tried to use mini fire extinguishers to put out the fire but all efforts failed. According to a man living nearby, there was a big blast followed by small explosions. The Fire Prevention and Fighting Police Department of District 11… [Read full story]