The information was released by Binh Thuan Police on March 15, after the investigation agency completed the examination of the scene of the fire at the evidence yard in Tanh Linh District Police headquarters.

Accordingly, at around 6:00 p.m. on March 9, when bringing the violating vehicle to the temporary holding area in the district police station, an officer proceeded to drain gasoline from the vehicle to put it in storage. At this time, a police officer passing by threw the cigarette he had just smoked nearby. The wind blew the cigarette butt back into the position where the gasoline was being drained, causing the fire to catch and spread around. The parking lot burst into flames after only a few minutes.

The fire was extinguished by firefighters after 45 minutes, but 232 motorbikes and some equipment in the garage were burned, causing more than 2 billion VND in damage. In addition, the fire also damaged some outbuildings and telecommunication lines located next to the fence.

Tanh Linh police are calculating compensation plans for damaged vehicle owners, and are considering factors to strengthen the case file according to legal procedures.

The leaders of Binh Thuan Provincial People's Committee also requested the Provincial Police to strictly handle the responsibilities of relevant groups and individuals.

Tu Huynh