Four Vietnamese men died in Oldham mill fire inquest hears

Four Vietnamese men died in a fire at Bismark House Mill in Derker, Oldham, in May 2022, locked inside a cannabis cultivation unit they couldn't escape from. The men-Uoc Van Nguyen, 31; Cuong Van Chu, 39; Duong Van Nguyen, 29; and Nam Thanh Lee, 21-were found as skeletal remains 10 weeks after the blaze, when demolition workers discovered a skull among 5,000 tonnes of rubble.

The inquest heard how all four men had left Vietnam to find work and support their families back home. They told relatives they were living in 'abandoned houses' or 'derelict buildings' in Oldham, but never mentioned cannabis farming. One man, Uoc Van Nguyen, had previously told his family he wanted to go outside but wasn't allowed, suggesting he was being held against his will.

Firefighters initially attended the blaze believing the building was empty and secure. It wasn't until two weeks later that a Vietnamese chaplain raised concerns about a missing man, and in July, three more families contacted police. The discovery of human remains sparked a major police investigation that took six months to complete.

Police made four arrests on suspicion of manslaughter and cannabis cultivation, but no charges have been brought due to insufficient evidence. The coroner recorded open conclusions, stating the men were 'being worked' to cultivate cannabis and were likely locked inside to maintain the illegal operation. Their families in Vietnam were left devastated, having lost the sons and husbands who were their main breadwinners.