Man Cuts Open Artillery Shell To Decorate His Cafe, Dies In Explosion

Man cuts an artillery shell for decoration materials, it explodes

Decades have passed since the last time Vietnam was at war, but a large portion of the country’s land remains contaminated by residual mines, bombs, and other explosive materials. Over the years, they have caused numerous fatal accidents.

But while all the accidents are unfortunate, in many cases they are the result of the victims’ own actions. Rather than reporting to authorities when they find explosives, some choose to tinker with them, either out of curiosity, or in an attempt to salvage the materials for scraps.

This one man was an example of this. He tried to cut open an artillery shell to use it as decorations for his coffee shop, but lost his life in the attempt.

The man died while tinkering with an artillery shell

The explosion scene
Image adapted from Phạm Huy

On Saturday, Thanh Niên reported on a tragic accident where a 55-year-old man from Pleiku City, Gia Lai Province, died from residual wartime explosives.

The man had obtained an artillery shell and tried to cut it open. Unfortunately, the shell exploded, killing him in the process.

Following the accident, authorities were immediately present at the scene for investigation. They found several bombshells and grenade shells around the victim’s house.

He liked to use bomb & artillery shells to decorate his coffee shop

The man had a coffee shop, which he decorated with bomb and artillery shells
Image adapted from Tâm Trần

As it turned out, the man had worked with bomb and artillery shells on multiple occasions and had been warned several times by authorities.

Yet, heedless of the danger, he still collected these materials to use as decorations for a coffee shop he owned.

Unfortunately, this hobby ended up costing the man his life.

Be careful with explosives

We express our condolences to the victim’s family. At the same time, however, this incident is a reminder of the very real danger of residual wartime explosives.

Even to this day, these dangerous materials can still be found in rivers, fields, or even right underneath your house. If you do happen to come across them, stay away and inform authorities immediately.

For more stories, check out:

Cover image adapted from Lao Động and Tâm Trần

Follow The Smart Local Vietnam on Facebook, Telegram, Instagram, and LinkedIn for more stories like this. If you have a story to share, email us at pressvn@thesmartlocal.com