3BB worker fatally injured by hidden explosive while repairing Internet line in Yala
A 3BB worker tragically lost his life at Yala Hospital after stepping on a concealed explosive while working on an Internet signal line on Sunday. Police Lieutenant Colonel Asrun Hamu, an investigative officer at Yala Police Station, was alerted to the incident by locals who reported hearing an explosion near a former insurgent target area.
The scene of the incident, situated around 500 metres from where two other people were injured in a separate incident on October 1, was quickly attended to by Police Lieutenant Colonel Chatchai Sakdi, Yala Police Station Chief.
Responding promptly, he coordinated with local rescue and disaster relief teams, police officers, ranger soldiers, and administrative officers to investigate the situation.
Officers discovered a white Toyota pickup parked by the roadside near Rattana School, close to the Kuea Te Village sign. The area, flanked by rubber plantations on both sides and spaced about 30 metres apart, was where two 3BB employees were found seriously injured and crying out for help.
The victims were identified as 38 years old Muhamad I-sahau whose left leg was severed and was in critical condition, and 39 years old Nisulaiman Griese who suffered minor injuries and hearing impairment.
Both victims were rushed to Somdej Phrayupharaj Yala Hospital, and Muhamad was transferred to Yala Hospital due to his critical injuries. Unfortunately, Muhamad succumbed to his injuries at 10pm yesterday.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that 3BB had been notified by residents about an Internet outage earlier in the day.
In the afternoon, both employees were dispatched to inspect and repair the Internet signal line. Upon reaching the incident site, Muhamad inadvertently stepped on a concealed explosive, causing his left leg to sever and leaving him critically injured. Nisulaiman, who was close by, suffered minor injuries and hearing impairment from the blast.
Officers suspect the incident to be the work of a local insurgent group, who had planted the explosive with the intention of causing harm to officers inspecting the site of an electric pole explosion that had occurred on October 1. However, the explosive had failed to detonate at that time.
Tragically, the 3BB employees had unwittingly encountered the concealed explosive. The Yala Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and the Yala Forensic Science Unit 10 will further investigate and gather evidence from the incident site.
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