Horrific explosion at phosphate plant kills one worker; Lao Cai province issues urgent directive.

A serious explosion at a phosphorus production plant in the Tang Loong Industrial Zone (Lao Cai province) resulted in the death of one worker and extensive damage to the factory. The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee has issued an urgent directive, requesting an investigation to determine the cause and responsibilities involved.

A particularly serious workplace accident has just occurred at the Tang Loong Industrial Zone in Lao Cai province, resulting in the death of one worker and extensive damage to several factory buildings. Authorities are urgently investigating the incident to determine the cause and the responsibility of all parties involved.

At 12:22 PM on February 23rd, a sudden explosion occurred at Gate 2 of the phosphorus production facility of Vietnam Yellow Phosphorus Co., Ltd. The incident stemmed from a problem with the double-walled refining tank when the water level inside dropped, leading to an explosive reaction and igniting the phosphorus.

A loud explosion occurred during working hours, causing panic among many workers. Following the explosion, chemicals from the refining tank spilled into the safety tank beneath the equipment. The powerful blast caused part of the corrugated iron roof of the finished product factory to collapse, and destroyed numerous machines and production equipment. The scene quickly descended into chaos, with smoke and the smell of chemicals engulfing the area.

At approximately 1:10 PM on the same day, authorities inspected the scene and found Mr. VVL (born in 1991, residing in Bac Ha commune, Lao Cai province) on the corrugated iron roof of the factory. Initial findings indicate that the victim died as a direct result of the equipment explosion at the factory. This news has left many shocked and saddened.

Given the seriousness of the incident, on February 24th, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Lao Cai province, signed an urgent directive instructing action. Accordingly, the Provincial Police were assigned the task of leading and coordinating with relevant units to quickly verify, investigate, and clarify the direct cause of the explosion at the phosphorus production plant.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested that the investigation process be objective and comprehensive, clearly identifying the responsibilities of each organization and individual involved. If violations are discovered, the wrongdoings will be strictly dealt with in accordance with the law. The investigation results must be reported directly to the Chairman of the province as soon as an official conclusion is reached.

In parallel with the investigation, the Lao Cai Provincial Economic Zone Management Board is tasked with working with local authorities to promptly handle any arising situations. This unit is responsible for providing complete records, documents, and technical data to support the on-site examination, ensuring that the verification process is carried out accurately and transparently.

In particular, environmental safety was a top priority for the provincial leadership in the context of the incident involving hazardous chemicals. The provincial chairman emphasized: "The Department of Natural Resources and Environment needs to strengthen inspection and supervision of environmental protection work in the area where the incident occurred, absolutely preventing any chemical pollution; inspect, assess, and remedy environmental incidents, ensuring that they do not affect the health and lives of people in the area."

This directive reflects caution regarding the risk of chemical release into the surrounding environment, especially since the Tang Loong Industrial Zone concentrates many heavy industrial factories. Control of air, water, and soil quality in the affected area is being implemented by specialized agencies in parallel with the investigation.

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