[PhilDragoo]

Set Van Nguyen was a microbiologist with the facility for fifteen years. It was established in 1985, sixteen years ago. He does not appear among the 177 CSIRO Staff Profiles nor in a search of the CSIRO site nor in a google search in any but the lone article of his death. In fifteen years with the premier animal virus facility in the world his sole accomplishment was to die.

[MarMema]

And we hope that his sole accomplishment was NOT to hand over a vial to some terrorists just before he was killed. I'm really going out on a limb here with speculation I know, but a microbiologist is what I was considered. And mostly what you do in that role is care for the samples in the freezer.

[MarMema]

the premier animal virus facility in the world

And this statement is chilling in and of itself.

[Nita Nupress]

This is a little more information, but it's still not very specific.  MarMema, thanks for your contributions to this thread.

 

Herald Sun
December 13, 2001, Thursday

NEWS; Pg. 26

Victim of airlock tragedy a dad of two
By Mark Buttler

A MARRIED father of two has been identified as the scientist who suffocated in a puzzling accident at a laboratory in Geelong.

Microbiologist Set Van Nguyen, 44, was found dead in an airlock chamber at the CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory on Tuesday morning. Mr Nguyen, of West Fyans St, Geelong, had worked at the laboratory for the past 15 years and had entered an airlock that led to a room containing nitrogen.

Police said once the outer door was closed, he operated an inner airlock door, was unable to breathe and collapsed.

CSIRO spokeswoman Emma Holmes said Vietnamese-born Mr Nguyen was married with two daughters.

She said he worked with the micro-security unit which was responsible for ensuring exotic animal diseases under examination could not escape the centre.

"He was very popular with staff and was a warm character," Ms Holmes said.

"He never had a harsh word for anybody."

Mr Nguyen's body was found early on Tuesday morning after his wife raised concerns that he had not come home from work.

WorkCover is investigating the tragedy and a police brief will be prepared for the coroner.

---

Unless they find that foul play was involved, we'll probably never hear another word about this one.  If someone will help me remember in a few days, I'll take another look to see if anything turned up.