Posted on February 27, 2025 View all News
Quang Tri (27 February 2025) — On Wednesday, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team of RENEW/NPA sprang into action, responding to six emergency hotline calls from residents across Quang Tri Province. In a single day, our dedicated team safely removed 23 pieces of explosive ordnance, protecting lives and continuing our mission to eliminate the lingering threats of wartime remnants.
Mr. Phuoc shows team leader Hoang Kim Chien the location where workers unearthed a projectile. Gio An, Gio Linh. 26 Feb 2025.
In Gio Linh District, 70-year-old Lam Cong Phuoc contacted our hotline after workers unearthed a 105mm projectile while leveling the yard for his new home. The EOD team arrived promptly, securing and removing the dangerous ordnance. “Thanks to the quick action from the team, such a big calibre wartime shell has been removed from my home,” said Phuoc. “I was afraid that young children in the village might play with it.” His words underscore the critical importance of our work in safeguarding entire communities.
The team then moved to Hai Lang District, where 72-year-old Hoang Huu Cach discovered a 40mm grenade while tending his garden. Later that day, Deputy Chief of Hai Chanh Commune, Phan Binh, led our team to a site where explosive ordnance had surfaced during efforts to recover war casualties’ remains. Each call demonstrated the unpredictable nature of these hidden dangers.
In An Dong Ward, Quang Tri Town, two 40mm grenades were found by locals dredging sand along the Thach Han River. Our team swiftly neutralized the threat. En route to Gio Linh, we also assisted 36-year-old Tran Duc Them, who uncovered an aviation bomb fuze in the foundation of his new home. Finally, in Truong Tho Village, Hai Thai Commune, a mother’s urgent call brought us to her 15-year-old son, who had found ordnance while fishing. The EOD team ensured his safety and that of the surrounding area.
Through rapid, coordinated efforts, NPA/RENEW remains committed to reducing the risks posed by explosive remnants of war. Every call we answer, every ordnance we remove, brings us closer to a safer Quang Tri Province. We thank the residents who trust us to act and encourage anyone who encounters suspicious items to call our EO emergency hotline immediately. We are deeply grateful to the U.S. Department of State for their generous support, which makes this life-saving work possible.
