Police in northern Laos said that last Friday’s deadly blast in a burning Chinese-owned vehicle parts shop that killed four people and injured three others was caused by illegal explosives located inside.
Though police could not confirm why the shop had a huge quantity of explosives on the premises, Oudomxay province’s chief of police said they were for “sale or other purposes,” and that that they are investigating.
“The shop owner smuggled the explosives and detonators and stored them away in his shop ... and we don’t know exactly why yet,” he told reporters on Saturday. “We are still gathering information.”
The blast killed one Laotian and three Chinese nationals and critically injured another three Chinese. In addition, the surrounding buildings were severely damaged including a newly-built luxury house.
Chinese presence is palpable in Oudomxay and other regions in northern Laos, fueled in part by construction of the US$6 billion high-speed railway connecting Kunming, China to the Lao capital Vientiane.
Further investigation
Police were also unable to confirm what started the initial fire, an officer told RFA Lao on Monday.
“We are still gathering evidence and we’re not sure,” the officer said. “I am just in the office, so I don’t really know that many details.”
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RFA also asked the nearby military headquarters and the Department of Industry and Commerce, but both declined to provide information and suggested following official announcements on the matter.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Consulate in nearby Luang Prabang province sent staff to visit the injured Chinese, a consular official, who requested not to be named, told RFA Lao.
“The Chinese Consulate is not sure about the responsibility,” he said. “For any reason, the Chinese Consulate also cannot release any detailed information to the news media.”
Meanwhile, while visiting with victims in a nearby hospital, Chinese Consular General Zhang Sheping called on the Lao government to determine the origin of the explosion and share information with the Chinese government, local media reported.
What were the explosives for?
The shop was probably hiding the explosives that would be used for mining purposes, a resident of Xay district told RFA Monday on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
“Many people said it was some Chinese businessmen working together to bring in the explosives or that the owner was helping someone else store the explosive materials, and these are used in gold mining.”
Another resident on Monday said that while officials were cleaning up, nobody was allowed on the shop premises.
“I think they finished cleaning up yesterday, he said. “I think it is still under police investigation.”
Translated by RFA Lao. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster.