Truong Mau Than and his wife Nguyen Thi Toan, both 55, were killed instantly upon the explosion in Xuan Truong commune.

The couple's 13-year-old daughter, who was nearby, was seriously wounded and remains in critical condition at Ho Chi Minh City’s Cho Ray hospital.

The couple, who have six children, was sawing through a 105-milimeter artillery shell when it exploded.

Authorities destroyed another 10 unexploded shells they found at the couple’s residence.

Local police said Than had been sawing another artillery shell when it exploded a week earlier, but no casualties were reported.

After the incident, Than had promised that he would no longer cut up unexploded ordnance, according to police.

Unexploded ordnance from the Vietnam War has killed about 38,000 people since the conflict ended in 1975.

Salvaging ordnance to sell as scrap metal is common practice in many of Vietnam’s poor areas.

In addition to the scrap, some collectors are able to resell the artillery’s explosives.

Source: Tien Phong