38-year-old Lich said that late on 5/7, while driving a truck carrying 4 tons of lychees from Bac Ninh to her home in Lac Son commune, Phu Tho province, she was involved in an accident in Dan Hoa commune, Thanh Oai district, Hanoi. The truck overturned, spilling the entire load of lychees onto the road.
After passersby helped call a tow truck, Lich and her husband took the vehicle to a garage two kilometers away for repairs.
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The scene of the accident that caused the truck to overturn in Dan Hoa commune, Thanh Oai, Hanoi, on the night of 5/7. Photo courtesy of the victim |
The scene of the accident that caused the truck to overturn in Dan Hoa commune, Thanh Oai, Hanoi, on the night of 5/7. Photo courtesy of the victim
Around 4 a.m. on 6/7, upon returning to the accident site, Lich found dozens of people gathering and taking the lychees. She pleaded with them, explaining that the fruit belonged to her family, but some continued taking the lychees. Powerless, Lich and her husband returned home, accepting the loss of their property.
The incident was filmed by a bystander and posted on social media, immediately sparking controversy. Many criticized the looting, while others suggested people might have mistaken the lychees for discarded goods.
Nguyen Dinh Dat, the tow truck driver, confirmed that the three accident victims were distraught when he arrived at the scene. He had intended to help load the lychees back onto the truck but prioritized towing the vehicle for repairs due to the large quantity of fruit.
A representative of the Dan Hoa Commune People's Committee (UBND) told VnExpress that they were aware of the overturned truck carrying lychees on the night of 5/7. The driver did not report the incident to the police. Early on the morning of 6/7, many people passing by saw the lychees piled up by the roadside unattended and, feeling it was a waste, took some home.
"Following reports that some people continued looting despite the owner's pleas, we have assigned the police to investigate and clarify the matter," the representative said.
The representative also said that after the information spread on social media, authorities learned that some people who had taken lychees contacted the owner to pay for them.
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Images shared on social media show people taking bags to collect lychees piled up by the roadside in Dan Hoa commune, Thanh Oai, Hanoi, on the morning of 6/7. Photo: D.T.H |
Images shared on social media show people taking bags to collect lychees piled up by the roadside in Dan Hoa commune, Thanh Oai, Hanoi, on the morning of 6/7. Photo: D.T.H
Bui Thi Lich said the 4 tons of lychees were worth about 28 million VND. After the story was shared, many people contacted her and sent money to support her family. Some admitted to taking the lychees, thinking they were discarded, and offered to pay for them.
As of the afternoon of 7/7, Lich had received over 9 million VND in donations.
Quynh Nguyen
