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 next to his house under construction. Gio An, Gio Linh. 26 Feb 2025.
In Gio Linh District, 70-year-old Lam Cong Phuoc contacted the Quang Tri Mine Action Center’s hotline after workers unearthed a 105mm projectile while leveling the yard for his new home. The RENEW/NPA’s 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.
Team leader Hoang Kim Chien checks the situation of the shell before ordering the team to remove it. Gio An, Gio Linh. 26 Feb 2025.
Earlier on Wednesday, the team moved to Hai Lang District, where 72-year-old Hoang Huu Cach discovered a 40mm grenade while tending his garden. Shortly after, Deputy Chief of Hai Chanh Commune Military, 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.
72-year-old Hoang Huu Cach said to team leader Hoang Kim Chien that this area saw bloody fighting in the summer of 1972. Hai Chanh, Hai Lang. 26 Feb 2025.
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 of Hai Thai Commune, the mother of a ninth grader reported that her 15-year-old son dug out a piece of ordnance while fishing. The EOD team swiftly responded, ensuring the safety of the boy and community.
A total of 23 explosives recovered from six callouts are removed to a safe place for safe disposal. Hai Thai, Gio Linh. 26 Feb 2025.
Through rapid, coordinated efforts, RENEW/NPA 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 the 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.
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