The "frog's mouth" at the foot of the mountain and the exorbitant price of complacency.

The landslide at Anh Tuan Co., Ltd.'s quarry in Cam Tu commune, which killed three workers, has exposed a series of serious violations in mineral exploitation.

The extremely serious workplace accident that occurred on May 20, 2026, at the Anh Tuan Co., Ltd. quarry in Cam Tu commune, Thanh Hoa province, not only claimed the lives of three workers but also left many lingering concerns about responsibility and lax organization in mining operations and occupational safety supervision in an industry that always carries inherent dangers.

The scene of the quarry collapse that killed 3 workers. Photo: Dinh Tiep.

Following the incident, a comprehensive inspection by relevant departments and agencies revealed an alarming reality: numerous violations, shortcomings, and inadequacies had existed for a long time at this mine. Deeply excavated "overhangs" at the foot of the mountain, rock layers not cut according to design specifications, and precarious rock formations hanging in mid-air... have become signs of an unsafe mining process that disregards risks.

Misuse of design, disregard for minimum safety principles.

The field inspection report dated May 25, 2026, by the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Thanh Hoa province and related units revealed that the current state of the mine shows many serious violations of mining techniques.

According to the design approved by the Thanh Hoa Provincial Department of Construction in 2018, the quarry must be exploited in vertical layers from top to bottom, with specific mining layer heights and slope angles; at the same time, a trench must be built for workers to access the mountain and initial working areas must be created at the mining levels as prescribed.

However, a subsequent inspection revealed that the company had almost completely failed to comply with the core elements of the mine design.

The quarry recently experienced an accident due to improper mining design, and a large amount of rock remains hanging precariously. Photo: Dinh Tiep.

The company did not build trenches up the mountain for its workers. In particular, the company mined from the bottom up, cutting through the base of the mountain and creating a "croaking hole" right in the center of the mine – an extremely dangerous mining method that destabilizes the rock mass above.

More seriously, the mine did not cut the mining levels according to specifications. Large chunks of rock and hanging rocks remain on the slopes of the levels, posing a risk of landslides at any time.

The inspection team's conclusion stated that improper mining practices, failing to ensure the required floor height and slope angle, were among the direct causes of the tragic landslide.

In open-pit quarrying, technical regulations regarding terracing, slope creation, and access road construction are not merely administrative procedures. They are "lifelines" aimed at reducing geological pressure, controlling the risk of rockfalls, and protecting workers.

When businesses disregard these principles, accidents are only a matter of time.

These irregularities are not being discovered for the first time.

What particularly concerns the public is that the irregularities at this quarry had actually been discovered by authorities before.

As early as February 2025, an inspection team led by the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Thanh Hoa province pointed out a series of violations by Anh Tuan Co., Ltd. in its mineral mining activities.

The company has not installed surveillance cameras at the mineral transportation points outside the mine; has not installed a weighing station system to control the volume of minerals; and has not prepared documentation for the declaration of conformity of construction stone products. Notably, the actual mining output over many years has been determined to be greater than the figures the company declared to the tax authorities.

The collapsed mine site, viewed from a different angle. Photo: Dinh Tiep.

Furthermore, at the time of inspection, the enterprise had not yet provided the required environmental permit or documentation confirming the completion of environmental protection works. The mine also lacked the necessary documentation for approval of its connection point to provincial road 523E.

These violations revealed numerous loopholes in the quarry's operations, including production management, environmental protection, and technical infrastructure. More importantly, despite inspections, the violations did not seem to be dealt with severely enough to force the company to make thorough corrections. The ultimate consequence was a landslide that killed three workers at the scene.

This is no longer just a story about one business, but raises the issue of the effectiveness of state management over the mining sector – an industry that has always been warned to have a very high level of risk.

The management vacuum and the lingering pain remain.

Following the accident, an inspection revealed that many important documents related to the mine's operations could not be fully verified because they are currently being held by the investigating authorities as part of the case investigation.

Documents related to occupational safety and hygiene, records of industrial explosives management, labor records, records of the mine's executive director appointment, etc., have not yet been provided.

This means that many big questions remain unanswered: Were the workers adequately trained in workplace safety? Was the pre-mining site inspection process carried out rigorously? Was the use of explosives in compliance with technical standards? How effective was the company's internal monitoring?

Another quarry located near Anh Tuan Co., Ltd. also operates in a similar manner, with many rocks hanging precariously on the steep cliffs, posing a very high risk. Photo: Dinh Tiep.

Meanwhile, the investigating authorities have initiated a criminal case and temporarily detained Mr. Luu Van Hai, Director of Anh Tuan Company Limited and legal representative of the enterprise, to facilitate the investigation.

However, behind those legal decisions lies the irreplaceable pain of the victims' families. Three laborers left home to earn a living but were unable to return.

While necessary, financial support and condolences cannot fully compensate for the loss suffered by these families. What the public most desires now is an objective and rigorous investigation and thorough handling of all related wrongdoings.

The accident at the Cam Tu quarry serves as another warning that in mineral extraction, any negligence can cost human lives. Workplace safety cannot be sacrificed for extraction speed or economic profit.

A panoramic view of the quarry area where the fatal accident occurred, belonging to Anh Tuan Co., Ltd. Photo: Dinh Tiep.

The "frog's mouth" excavated at the foot of the mountain not only distorts the landscape but also exposes a gap in the businesses' awareness of and compliance with the law. And when previous warnings are not taken seriously enough, tragedy can easily become unavoidable.

Following this incident, it is necessary not only to address the issue at this particular quarry, but also to conduct a comprehensive review of all mineral mining activities in the area; to tighten compliance with mine design, labor safety, environmental regulations, and the supervisory responsibilities of local authorities.

Because behind every workplace accident statistic are human lives, homes that have lost loved ones, and haunting memories that linger long after the chilling sound of rocks collapsing in the mountains.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/ham-ech-duoi-chan-nui-and-the-excessive-price-of-subjectivity-d813562.html