Last call from male worker killed in huge explosion in Laos

(Baonghean.vn) - A few minutes before going to work, Gia Ba Lau called to confide and promise to return to his wife and children, but he did not expect that it would also be his last fateful call.

» Big explosion at Laos hydropower plant, 6 Vietnamese people died

The small house of Ms. Va Y Xia, wife of the victim Gia Ba Lau (born in 1985), one of the 6 people who died at the hydroelectric project in Laos on the evening of July 28, is located in a valley of Hop Thanh village (Xa Luong commune - Tuong Duong).

Relatives in the village were present very early to offer condolences to the family when they heard the news of his death. The pain came so suddenly that the small village fell into silence, only the sobbing of the young wife could be heard.

Gia Ba Lau's house in Hop Thanh village (Xa Luong commune - Tuong Duong). Photo: Huu Vi

Mr. Gia Ba Chu, Gia Ba Lau's uncle, recounted that at around 12 o'clock last night, he heard a call from relatives in Laos saying that Ba Lau had died in an accident caused by an oxygen tank explosion. Everyone was shocked and could not believe it was true.

Mr. Va Chay Xa, a brother whose son is Va Ba Tenh, who is working with Gia Ba Lau, also informed that around 1am this morning, Tenh called home to inform his family that Ba Lau had passed away. Panicked, at dawn he packed his bags and went from Ky Son district to encourage Ba Lau's family.

Many people in the village came to offer condolences to the family of the victim Gia Ba Lau. Photo: Dao Tho

Sitting in a simple house with four sides made of planks, Gia Ba Chu said that when he was 6 years old, Gia Ba Lau lost his father and his mother remarried. The Lau siblings had to depend on their grandparents. He married Va Y Xia (born in 1987) and had 3 daughters together. The oldest is 10 years old and in 4th grade, the youngest is only 3 years old. Ba Lau's family has been a poor household in Xa Luong commune for many years. Last year, he went to Laos to work and came back for Tet and then left again.

Sitting holding her little child in her arms and crying, Ms. Va Y Xia said in tears that just last night, a few minutes before he passed away, he called home and talked to his wife and children for a long time. “Ba Lau said: At home, you two try to take care of each other, I'll be at work today and I'll come home to visit my family in a few days. Don't miss me too much. I didn't expect that to be the last call,” Y Xia said in tears. The children understood their mother's pain and kept hugging her to encourage her.

Ms. Va Y Xia (Gia Ba Lau's wife) cried when she heard the news of her husband's death. Photo: Dao Tho

Another Mong victim is Va Xai Co (born in 1983) in Truong Son village (Nam Can commune - Ky Son). Originally from Muong Long commune, 2 years ago, Va Xai Co moved to Nam Can to live. In early 2017, he followed his friends to Laos to work. Xai Co's family is also a poor household in this remote border commune.

According to information, Va Xai Co's family has 2 children, the youngest is only 1 year old this year. Upon receiving the news of his death in a foreign land, everyone was in great pain.

Currently, the victims' bodies are on the way to their hometowns for burial according to local customs.

Dao Tho - Huu Vi