VietNamNet Bridge – Police said carbon monoxide poisoning likely caused eight deaths at a lime kiln in Thanh Hoa Province on Friday.

Photos: Le Duong (VNN)

The lime kiln owned by the family of Le Van Thong, 56, in Hoang Giang Commune. Three members of the family died in the accident and another is still in critical condition.

At about 2:30pm on Friday, a worker of the kiln, Pham Van Tuyen, 53, suddenly fainted when inserting materials into the kiln. Thong ran inside the kiln in order to save Tuyen, but didn't come out.

Thong's neighbours later had to smash a side of the kiln to bring out the two and another seven people who also attempted to rescue those inside the kiln.

Eight victims, including Thong and Tuyen, were announced dead at 7:00pm the same day despite being rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. The other dead victims were two daughters of Thong, Le Thi Mai, 31, and Le Thi Nga, 26, who was pregnant at the time, together with Nguyen Dinh Hoan, 57, Hoang Van Viet, 38, Le Van Tan, 44, and Le Gia Cuong, 30.

Thong's wife, Le Thi Nguyen, was still being treated at Thanh Hoa General Hospital.

Colonel Le Trung Hieu of Thanh Hoa police said that the police concluded the cause of the fatal accident was CO poisoning which was released during the burning of the lime kiln.

Testing by the municipal Preventive Health Centre also show that the emission rate in the area around the lime kiln was eight times the legal limit.

The local authorities decided to grant VND5 million (US$222) for each dead victim and VND3 million ($133) plus free treatment for Nguyen.

VNS