Explosion in Laos through the stories of those involved

(Baonghean.vn) - Four days after the explosion at the Nam Nghiep 1 hydropower plant in Pa Ka San district, Bolikhamxay province (Laos), witnesses there are still shocked and heartbroken.

» Unfulfilled dreams of workers who died in Laos

It is known that the Nam Nghiep 1 hydropower project has a capacity of 29 MW, invested by Lao Electricity Group, construction period from 2014 to 2018. The main contractor of the project is Obayashi Company (Japan), with 5 subcontractors from other countries, winning the construction bid. Song Da 5 Joint Stock Company (Vietnam) undertakes the construction of items: main dam, regulating dam, RCC station...

Workers are working at the Nam Nghiep 1 Hydropower Plant in Bolikhamxay Province (Laos). Photo: NVCC

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Nam (55 years old) - uncle of victim Nguyen Van Phuong, in hamlet 8, Thanh Thinh commune (Thanh Chuong), at the Nam Nghiep 1 hydropower construction site, workers of Song Da Company work 3 shifts, the night shift starts from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. the next morning.

On the night of July 28, after dinner, at 9 p.m., the workers of the third shift gathered to listen to a briefing on occupational safety, then got on the bus to the construction site. "Working here, it's always the same, before going to work, the workers have to gather to listen to a briefing on occupational safety for about 15 minutes."

That night, everyone went to the construction site to work as usual. There were many teams of workers working on the dam surface. Mr. Nam belonged to the general team, working about 30 meters away from Phuong - his nephew, who was on the formwork team. When the shift started, Phuong and another friend were busy welding a sheet of corrugated iron on the dam surface, while the workers in the team transported oxygen tanks to the work site (each tank weighed about 70 kg, so 2 people usually carried 1 tank).

Working the night shift on the dam surface at the Nam Nghiep 1 Hydropower Construction Site. Photo: NVCC

After a while, around 10pm, when Mr. Nam was installing the water pipe into the “scrubber” machine to prepare to wash the concrete, he heard a loud explosion, rocks flying around. The explosion was sharp and loud, different from the previous tire explosions at the construction site.

“Hearing the terrifying explosion, thinking something bad had happened, and hearing the panicked screams of some workers, I rushed to the formwork team. Before reaching the team’s work site, I saw many pieces of flesh and bones scattered on the dam surface. The first person I saw was the body of Hai - a Phu Tho native, then Phuong. I burst into tears and collapsed on my nephew’s body,” Mr. Nam said in grief.

The entire construction site stopped working. Mr. Nam and some people working nearby immediately transported the injured workers from the dam body to the road. Because the dam was high up, they had to go up and down using an iron ladder. On the road, cars were waiting to take the victims to the hospital. People on the dam body continued to search and collect the bodies of the remaining victims.

The first car carrying the bodies of the three victims: Nguyen Van Phuong, Ha Huu Hai and a young ethnic minority man arrived at Bac Xan Hospital shortly after. Mr. Nam also took a car to the hospital with his nephew. Early the next morning (July 29), the second car carrying the bodies of the remaining victims also arrived at the hospital. That afternoon, the construction site brought the coffins and organized a bathing and burial ceremony for the victims.

Mr. Nguyen Van Nam in Hamlet 8, Thanh Thinh Commune (Thanh Chuong) is recounting the horrific explosion in Laos. Photo: Huy Thu

Several days after the explosion, Mr. Nam was still in shock: “I have worked at the construction site for many years, only heard about gas tank explosions, but never heard about oxygen tank explosions. Moreover, working with the Japanese, they are very strict about labor safety, even a small mistake would stop the construction for several days, but there was still a labor accident that killed 6 people at the same time, so heartbreaking.”

Mr. Nam added: “At that time, when I ran to the scene, I was only worried about finding my nephew, not looking around. Later, people told me that on the dam surface - where Phuong and the formwork team were working, a wide and deep hole had been dug, which was the center of the explosion. Perhaps due to the great destructive power, it not only killed 4 people in the formwork team but also killed 2 "slot cutters" from another team nearby.”

Mr. Hoang Van Dong in Hamlet 5, Thanh Ha Commune (Thanh Chuong) - a worker at this hydroelectric project and the person who followed the vehicle that brought the body of the victim Ha Cao Ky back to his hometown, shared: "That night, I was in a shack, a few kilometers from the construction site, when I heard a loud explosion. Everyone rushed out of their homes and ran to the construction site. When I arrived, the bodies of the injured workers had been taken down from the dam body."

The pain of relatives who died in Laos. Photo: Huy Thu

Unable to hide his pain and confusion after the explosion, Mr. Nguyen Duy Hai (26 years old) in Hamlet 10, Thanh An Commune, who directly bathed, embalmed and brought the victims' bodies back to his hometown, said: "After the explosion, many of my friends passed away forever. I feel so sorry and sorry for them. Young people have so many dreams and plans that have not been fulfilled. The explosion that night really caused pain, confusion and anxiety for many people, especially those who participated in the labor here."

Huy Thu