VietNamNet Bridge – Three people have reportedly died of suffocation in the northern province of Thai Binh on Tuesday.

The scene of the workplace accident where three people reportedly died of suffocation in the northern province of Thai Binh on Tuesday. — Photo news.zing.vn

The victims were identified as Le Xuan Tuan, 29, from Hung Yen Province, Nguyen Xuan Reo, 33, from Ha Nam Province and Kieu Xuan Cuong, 23, from Hanoi.

According to local police, the victims were tasked with installing a gas pipeline.

Minh Hieu Commercial Production Company in Tien Hai Industrial Park purchased gas from Northern Low Pressure Gas Distribution Company, and Phuc Minh Sang Company was hired to install the pipeline.

On Tuesday morning, Phuc Minh Sang Company assigned Reo and Cuong to take the job, while Tuan from the Northern Low Pressure Gas Distribution Company was tasked with supervising the work.

At 7pm on the same day, after losing contact with the three workers, Phuc Minh Sang Company dispatched several people to the scene and they found that all three had died in a hole at the beginning of the pipeline.

Initial investigation suggests the cause of death was inert gas asphyxiation.

The People’ Committee of Thai Binh Province has decided to provide VND5 million (US$216) in support for families of the deceased victims.

Further investigations are underway.

The number of work-related accidents remains high in the country in spite of Government’s effort to improve labour safety. Vietnam saw 8,956 workplace accidents with 9,173 victims and 928 deaths in 2017, according to the Department of Work Safety.

In the first half of 2018, there were 3,988 workplace accidents that killed 384 people. This number is so high in part because of insufficient attention on workplace safety procedures, outdated equipment and a lack of safety training.

Source: VNS