Scene of the explosions. — Photo tienphong.vn

NGHỆ AN — The two consecutive explosions in the central province of Nghệ An last year, which killed a couple and injured two others, were caused by the illegal production of firecrackers, officials said on Thursday.

The first explosion occurred on August 27, 2024, at the home of H.V.Q., 60, in Quỳ Hợp District, killing him and his wife, H.T.H., 53, instantly. The blast also severely damaged five nearby houses.

A second explosion struck two days later, on August 29, when T.C.H., 37, was using an excavator to clear debris at the site. The blast injured T.C.H. and H.M.Đ., the brother of the deceased woman, authorities said.

According to the investigation, the initial explosion resulted from firecrackers being produced at the couple’s home. The second blast was triggered by friction from the excavator’s bucket scraping through lime mortar mixed with explosive chemicals.

The explosions caused significant property damage, affecting four neighbouring households, which have demanded VNĐ780 million ($31,200) in compensation from H.V.Q.’s family.

Relatives of the deceased couple have agreed to pay only VNĐ665 million ($26,600), leading to a dispute.

Local authorities mediated talks between the parties, but no agreement was reached. The case has been referred to the Quỳ Hợp District People’s Court, which is now handling the compensation dispute.

On December 3, 2024, the court’s chief judge, Đào Văn Đạt, issued an order prohibiting transactions involving the couple’s savings, reportedly amounting to VNĐ2.7 billion ($108,000), pending resolution of the case.

As both H.V.Q. and H.T.H. are deceased, no criminal charges will be filed and the compensation issue will be resolved based on the couple’s estate, a local official said. — VNS