Regarding the large explosion near the headquarters of Phu Dong Transaction Office, BIDV Gia Lai Bank Branch, the Criminal Police Department of Gia Lai Provincial Police coordinated with the Criminal Technical Police Department and the Pleiku City Military Command to block off the scene to determine the cause.

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Hundreds of detonators were discovered at the scene. Photo: VN

Investigating the scene, authorities discovered many detonators scattered around the area. These detonators were made of metal, cylindrical in shape, and about 5cm long.

According to authorities, these detonators are determined to contain explosives for detonation. When impacted by external forces or exposed to high temperatures, the detonators will explode. Initially, authorities suspect that this is the object that caused the explosion.

Authorities determined that before the explosion, four women on two motorbikes went to the scrap collection facility of Ms. Le Thi K. (born in 1995, residing in Group 6, Phu Dong Ward, Pleiku City) to sell scrap, but Ms. K. did not buy it because it contained many impurities.

After being refused, the four women took the scrap metal to an empty lot in alley 2, Ly Nam De street (group 5, Phu Dong ward, Pleiku city; behind Phu Dong transaction office, BIDV Gia Lai bank branch) to burn the metal to sell.

The process of burning scrap metal caused small explosions, so the group of women panicked and ran away from the area. At 2:00 p.m. the same day, a big explosion occurred.

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Many glass windows at the back of BIDV Bank were shattered. Photo: Tran Hoan

The explosion caused a 5m long section of the fence nearby to collapse; the garbage truck was overturned, all the barriers were blown off; 22 glass windows of BIDV Gia Lai Bank, Phu Dong Transaction Office were shattered, glass fragments were scattered everywhere, fortunately there were no human casualties.

The incident is being verified and clarified by the authorities.

Authorities determined that the large explosion that caused the wall to collapse and nearly 20 glass windows of the bank to shatter was caused by a group of women burning scrap metal.