A
mental patient allegedly, and inexplicably, burned down 10 hectares of forest in
the central province of Quang Ngai on Thursday.
Local
residents stopped the fire, but not until after it had engulfed large swathes of
land.
The
fire started at around noon in the mountainous Tay Tra District and burnt for
five hours, destroying many iron wood trees two to three years old.
More
than 100 local residents had helped fire fighters and authorities extinguish the
fire.
Each
of the residents was awarded VND1 million (US$53).
Investigators found that Ho Van De, who is being treated for mental and physical
problems at a local medical station, had started the fire.
De
had burnt more than one hectare of forest a month ago, more than a kilometer
from the new spot.
Some
young men who lost trees to the fire beat him and broke his legs after the
latest incident.