On March 15, 2025, the local authorities of Ha Linh commune, Huong Khe district, Ha Tinh province, Vietnam, reported a devastating loss at the chicken farm owned by Mr. Tran Quoc The, where nearly 8,000 chickens suffocated to death due to a power outage. The tragic incident unfolded late at night, leading to significant financial and emotional ramifications for the farming family.
Around 11 PM on March 14, Mr. The discovered the towering presence of dead chickens during his routine inspection when the power failed, causing the cooling system to shut down. Despite his immediate attempts to revive the situation by starting the generator, it was too late. The chickens—about 12,000 of them—had been nearing market weight and had been raised just shy of three months when the incident struck.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thom, Mr. The's wife, shared their story of hardship; "Nhìn hàng ngàn con gà chết ngạt mà xót xa quá. Sự cố xảy ra khiến gia đình thiệt hại hơn 1 tỉ đồng, khó khăn lại chồng chất khó khăn, khổ quá." ("Looking at thousands of chickens suffocates me with sorrow. This incident has caused the family to incur losses of over 1 billion VND; difficulties are compounding, and it is so hard."). They had invested all their savings to establish this farm, borrowing money to build it just last year. Starting from nothing, they were beginning to see the fruits of their labor—until the power outage struck.
Local authorities mobilized community support almost immediately. Mr. Bui Ngoc Du, the Chairman of the People's Committee of Ha Linh, encouraged local organizations and fellow residents to aid the family. "Chúng tôi đã kêu gọi người dân đến hỗ trợ chủ trang trại tiêu thụ và xử lý số 8.000 con gà chết," he stated, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Efforts from various community groups, including women's and farmers' associations, came together to assist the struggling family, pitching in with everything from clean-up to disposal of the corpses. Many people turned out to help process the remains of the chickens, ensuring health standards were maintained. Stringent measures were assessed to determine if any of the chickens could still be salvaged for sale, particularly those not yet decomposed.
Throughout the morning, officials and locals worked diligently at the farm as the reality of the situation set in. Mr. The expressed his frustrations as he witnessed the aftermath of the power outage: "Do sự cố xảy ra giữa đêm nên vợ chồng tôi không kịp trở tay, phần lớn số gà chết cũng không thể làm sạch để bán thịt nhằm vớt vát chút vốn liếng. Hiện nay, bà con nhân dân cũng đến rất đông để hỗ trợ gia đình," which translates to, "Since the incident occurred during the night, my wife and I couldn’t react quickly enough; most of the dead chickens could not be cleaned for selling to regain some of our capital. Currently, many locals have come to greatly support our family."
The farm's chickens were primarily of commercial stock, with each bird expected to weigh between 2 and 2.5 kg at the time they were to be sold. They had raised them with hopes for profitability, following community-model agricultural practices established to mitigate risk. The losses from this incident not only affect Mr. The and Ms. Thom but ripple through the community, as local farmers lose trust and face uncertainty when their fellow agriculturalists suffer losses.
Authorities have categorized the situation as urgent, reinforcing the importance of community solidarity. Given the hefty losses incurred by Mr. The, it highlights the fragility of agricultural enterprises reliant on technological systems. The community's swift response to aid demonstrates the resilience and commitment to supporting each other during dire times.
While there will be many answers to seek about safety regulations for livestock management and emergencies, for now, the primary focus remains on recovering from this disaster. Initiatives are being proposed to create more cohesive emergency plans, engaging technological support to preemptively address such crises. The solemn acknowledgment of loss was not just for the chickens, but for the aspirations and future Mr. The and Ms. Thom envisioned for their family.