SOUTH VIETNAM: SAIGON POST OFFICE BLAST KILLS FOUR.

Record ID: 230368

  • Title: SOUTH VIETNAM: SAIGON POST OFFICE BLAST KILLS FOUR.
  • Date: 9th May 1969
  • Summary: BUILDING; WOMAN RUNS FROM BUILDING; SMOKE; WOUNDED MAN STAGGERING; WOUNDED WOMAN WITH HELPERS; POLICE; BODIES ON STRETCHER; WRECKED TELEPHONE BOOTHS; DEBRIS; GENERAL SCENES. Initials GS/VS/MR/MJB Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 24th May 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SAIGON, SOUTH VIETNAM
  • Country: Vietnam
  • Reuters ID: LVA6IXOOVENH7OXU5QIIYN8N7DI3
  • Story Text: TWO VIET CONG BOMBS EXPLODED IN SAIGON'S CENTRAL POST OFFICE YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) KILLING FOUR PEOPLE AND INJURING 19. THE ATTACK WAS THE THIRD MAJOR POST OFFICES IN THE CITY WITHIN THE PAST TWO MONTHS.

    THE EXPLOSION CAUSED CHAOS IN THE POST OFFICE'S MAIN HALL. THE WOUNDED AND DEAD LAY IN POOLS OF BLOOD ON THE FLOOR WHILE THE LUCKY ONES RAN TERRIFIED FROM THE BUILDING. ONE OF THE DEAD WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN A SOUTH VIETNAMESE ARMY LIEUTENANT.

    EYE-WITNESSES SAID TWO MEN HAD WALKED INTO THE POST OFFICE WITH PARCELS UNDER THEIR ARMS SHORTLY BEFORE THE DISASTER. THE PARCELS WERE DUMPED ON A COUNTER AND THE MEN RAN OFF. NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE.

    THE EXPLOSION CAME 15 MINUTES AFTER THE POST OFFICE HAD OPENED FOR THE DAY. IT SHATTERED WINDOWS AND CLOCKS AND TORE BIG PIECES OF WOOD FROM COUNTERS. POLICE AND AMBULANCES WERE ON THE SCENE A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE BLAST.

    THIS WEEK IN VIETNAM MARKS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE START OF LAST YEAR'S VIET CONG OFFENSIVE WHEN A RECORD NUMBER OF 562 U.S. SOLDIERS WERE KILLED.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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