After some recent explosions of old air compressor, the aging machines can still be seen on many streets.

Potential disaster 

An old air pump exploded on April 23 killing a man sitting nearby in HCM City. On June 10, an air tank used for balloons also exploded, it killing a 42 year-old man and severely wounding a university student.

However these old compressors can still be found throughout the streets and owners tend not to take precautions.

A worker at a air compressor shop on Thu Duc District said, "It's not easy for a compressor to explode. Unless there is an accident or the tank is heated, the compressor would have to contain more air than the limit."

Trung, a repairman on Nguyen Van Ba Street, said that his air compressor, which is seven years old, is still good. "It looks a bit rusty but it works well. I'm planning on giving it a paint job.  I'm very careful, so it won't explode." he said.

Along Hanoi Highway, a route connecting HCM City to Bien Hoa City, huge air compressors are easily found in garages. The workers there claimed that theirs were new, but refused to tell where they came from or the safety precautions they took.

A worker at a shop trading air compressors said most older compressors belong to small shops.

An air compressor explosion

One man was killed in an explosion

Old and rusty air compressor