A fatal work accident occurred at a wood processing factory in Bac Ninh province, Vietnam, where a 42-year-old female worker was tragically killed. The incident took place when the worker was caught in a running wood chipper while on duty. Despite the immediate efforts of her colleagues to rescue her, they were unable to prevent the tragic outcome, and the woman was crushed to death by the machine.
According to reports from various media outlets, the accident happened on the morning of March 22 at a wood processing factory in Trang Bom town, Bac Ninh province. The victim, identified as Chen Lan (phonetic spelling), was working alongside a female colleague near the conveyor belt to process wood and prevent materials from blocking the entrance of the chipper.
Witnesses recounted that Chen Lan was standing too close to the machine’s feeding inlet and accidentally got caught in the high-speed rotating wood chipper during the operation. Her lower limbs were initially dragged into the machine, followed by her entire body swiftly being pulled into the equipment, with harrowing cries for help echoing at the scene.
Upon noticing the distress, a co-worker promptly attempted to pull her out, risking their own safety by firmly grasping her body. However, due to the immense mechanical pulling force and the extremely brief duration of the incident, the rescue ultimately failed. The colleague, in a state of panic, ran out to seek assistance, but Chen Lan had already succumbed to her injuries on the spot.
Following the accident, the site was temporarily sealed off, and surveillance footage circulated online, prompting public scrutiny on the factory’s safety management practices.
Currently, the relevant authorities in Bac Ninh province have initiated an investigation, conducting a comprehensive review of the equipment safety standards, operational procedures, and on-site protective measures at the implicated factory. They have also collected surveillance footage and summoned responsible individuals to determine accountability for the accident. Local government officials have stated that they will hold those accountable in accordance with the law and enhance occupational safety oversight to prevent similar tragedies from reoccurring.