A newly purchased buffalo broke loose while being unloaded from a truck in Vietnam's Central Highlands, injuring six people, including its owner, and causing chaos on a local road before authorities killed the animal to protect residents.
Two buffaloes ran loose along a road in Dinh Van Lam Ha Commune, Lam Dong Province, on the evening of October 24. One of them, a large buffalo, became aggressive and charged at two people riding a motorbike. Terrified, the riders abandoned their vehicle and fled to safety.
The buffalo charges at people on the road. Photo: Thai Ngoc
Local residents said the buffalo injured six people along a stretch of road approximately one kilometer long. Among the victims was the animal's owner, 44-year-old L.V.M., who suffered a fractured pelvis, a broken leg and multiple injuries. He was transferred to Ho Chi Minh City for emergency treatment.
The incident threw the neighborhood into chaos.
Mai Thi Tam, a resident of Dinh Van Lam Ha Commune, said she was riding on the back of a motorbike driven by her husband when the buffalo charged at them, leaving her bleeding. The couple later went to the Lam Ha Regional Medical Center to have their injuries examined.
As it continued running, the buffalo stormed into a wedding celebration, overturning banquet tables and smashing dishes. Guests managed to flee in time, and no one at the wedding was injured.
The animal also damaged a motorbike and a car parked along the roadside.
Several people hold a gate shut to prevent the buffalo from escaping. Photo: Thai Ngoc
Residents and local authorities worked together to contain the two buffaloes. The larger animal was eventually cornered inside a residential compound, where several people joined forces to hold the gate shut and prevent it from escaping.
At 7:20 p.m. that evening, authorities coordinated with the owner of a construction materials yard to use an excavator to pin down and kill the buffalo, eliminating the immediate threat to people in the area.
Leaders of Dinh Van Lam Ha Commune said local authorities were working with the buffalo owner's family and the injured residents to determine what caused the incident, assess the damage and decide on appropriate measures in accordance with regulations.
According to preliminary information, M. had recently purchased the buffalo from another location and transported it home by truck. As the animal was being unloaded, it suddenly attacked him before escaping onto the road.
Vietnamnet.vn
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