The Dong Nai People’s Procuracy has officially indicted Feng Yong, a 40-year-old Chinese national and director of Binh Minh Vietnam Wood Production and Trading Co., Ltd., on charges of violating occupational safety regulations.

The charges come after a catastrophic boiler explosion on May 1, 2024, killed six workers and injured five others at the company’s factory in Thien Tan Commune, Vinh Cuu District, Dong Nai Province.

Feng Yong founded the company in 2020, registering it under another individual’s name and renting a factory space to produce wood products. He later signed a contract to install a boiler with a design pressure of 10 Kg/cm², an operating pressure of 5.0 Kg/cm², and a capacity of 1 ton per hour. Despite safety requirements, he did not notify the relevant authorities before putting the boiler into operation.

Feng Yong delegated full control of the boiler’s management and operation to Xie Zhen Long, a 35-year-old Chinese national, without ensuring compliance with safety regulations.

Negligence and faulty repairs lead to tragedy

On April 29, 2024, the boiler began leaking water. Xie Zhen Long hired a repair crew to fix the problem. At around 4 a.m. on May 1, the repair work was completed, and maintenance personnel left the premises.

By 6 a.m., workers arriving at the factory noticed error signals on the boiler system and refrained from reigniting it. However, Xie Zhen Long inspected the system and insisted that it was safe, instructing workers to resume normal operation.

Around 8 a.m., while 42 workers were on duty in the semi-finished product workshop, the boiler suddenly exploded, resulting in a massive blast that killed six workers and injured five others.

According to forensic experts from the Institute of Forensic Science in Ho Chi Minh City, the explosion was caused by prolonged overheating following the repair, which led to thermal expansion and structural weakening. The excessive pressure buildup eventually exceeded the boiler’s capacity, causing it to rupture violently.

During the investigation, Feng Yong’s family voluntarily compensated the victims' families with a total of nearly 2.9 billion VND (approximately $123,000) and 600,000 Chinese yuan (around $82,000). Additionally, nearly 800 million VND (about $34,000) was paid to injured workers.

While authorities initially identified Xie Zhen Long as an accomplice due to his direct management and operation of the boiler, he has since passed away, exempting him from criminal prosecution.

The indictment against Feng Yong highlights severe breaches of safety regulations that directly led to the tragic explosion, underlining the consequences of neglecting labor safety protocols.

Hoang Anh