Proposal to dismiss police major in the case of 4 people suffocated to death in gold mine

Nam Giang District Police (Quang Nam) requested the Provincial Police to remove Major Quang from his position as traffic police captain because he knew his wife hired people to illegally dig for gold but did not stop her.

On July 7, Colonel Nguyen Duc Dung (Chief of Staff, Quang Nam Provincial Police) said that the authorities have not yet closed the investigation into the yellow gas suffocation case that caused 4 deaths in Dung village (Thanh My town, Nam Giang). The investigation agency is completing the file to extend the detention of Van Thi Hoai Thuong (36 years old), the wife of Major Nguyen Ngoc Quang, Head of the Traffic Police of Nam Giang district.

“The investigation must be concluded before the relationship, level of involvement and responsibility of the husband in the case can be determined. Only then will disciplinary action be taken against Major Quang. It is related to an individual’s political career, so it must be done objectively and impartially,” said Colonel Dung.

Previously, Colonel Le Quang Vinh (Head of Nam Giang District Police) said that after the incident, the unit disciplined a number of individuals and organizations such as the local police, the Deputy District Police Chief in charge of traffic...

“Regarding Captain Quang, our view is to handle him strictly, without covering him up. The unit has completed the file to request the provincial police to discipline him by dismissing him from his position because his wife violated the law,” said Colonel Vinh.

Mrs. Thuong had a comfortable life but believed the fortune teller and hired people to dig for gold for more than 2 years, causing 4 people to suffocate.

According to the investigation, at around 5pm on April 12, a group of 7 gold miners detonated explosives in an illegal gold mining tunnel about 2km from the centre of Thanh My town. Not long after, the gold miners went down into the tunnel and were suffocated one by one.

The first person to climb down was suffocated by the gas and slipped off the rope and fell to the bottom of the pit, breaking his head. The people above thought that this person had just slipped, so they climbed down to save him, but they also suffocated. The last two gold diggers to climb down, at this time the gas was no longer strong, discovered the incident and climbed up in time to call the mine owner for help.

Investigators determined that the mine exploded, burning all the oxygen inside and creating toxic gas. The gold miners were inexperienced and entered the tunnel too early.

After the incident, instead of reporting to the authorities for rescue, Ms. Thuong set up an altar to worship. Photo: Tien Hung.

Instead of reporting to the authorities for rescue, Mrs. Thuong had people buy offerings and set up an altar. After two hours of worship, Mrs. Thuong reported to the authorities. At around 11pm, five gold miners were suffocated and brought out of the mine, one survived.

Among the four deceased were three siblings of the Kho Mu ethnic group in Ky Son district (Nghe An). Ms. Thuong was later prosecuted and detained by Quang Nam Provincial Police for three months for violating regulations on research, exploration and exploitation of natural resources and illegal storage and use of explosives.

The three gold miners who escaped, Va Ba Nhia (23 years old), Cut Van Hoanh (29 years old) and Cut Van Binh (18 years old, all residing in Bao Thang commune, Ky Son, Nghe An) were also prosecuted and detained for the same crime.

A source from the investigation agency said that Mrs. Thuong's family is quite wealthy. Her husband is a police chief, and her wife owns a fashion clothing store. Both families are wealthy. More than 2 years ago, Mrs. Thuong went to a fortune teller and was told that there was a lot of gold in Dung village, so she spent money to hire someone to search for it.

Major Quang said that not long after his wife invested in gold, the family became bankrupt. He advised his wife many times but to no avail, and conflicts often occurred. The two were preparing to appear in court when the incident happened.

According to VNE