Young man sets fire to hospital, beats nurse in Nghe An

Speaking to Nghe An Newspaper reporters, Mr. Nguyen Viet Duong - Director of Quynh Lap Central Dermatology and Leprosy Hospital (located in Hoang Mai town, Nghe An), said that at around 3:45 a.m. on December 26, when patients and medical staff at this hospital were sleeping, they were awakened by screams. At this time, patient Nguyen Van Hoi (31 years old, residing in Dong Tam hamlet, Quynh Lap, being treated at the Department of Surgery), suddenly set fire to the hospital.

"He set fire to all the blankets and mattresses, smoke billowing. All the equipment in the treatment room was burned," Mr. Duong said.

As of noon on December 26, police were still blocking off the scene and investigating the incident.

At this time, a female nurse who tried to intervene was immediately restrained by Hoi, who grabbed her hair and beat her until she fainted on the spot. All the glass doors of the emergency room were broken by this patient. Several patients in the hospital were also attacked.

According to Mr. Duong, hospital staff immediately reported the incident to the local police and the fire department. When the police arrived, Hoi was still restraining the nurse and tearing her clothes.

Scene of the incident. Photo: Chu Minh

He was then subdued and taken to the police station. The nurse, who is three months pregnant, is still being treated at the hospital with a head injury. The fire was brought under control a few minutes after arrival.

The cause of the incident is still being investigated.