7 workers dead, 21 injured in Cambodia building collapse

Published On: June 22, 2019 04:40 PM NPT By: Associated Press

Rescue workers recover a body from the rubble of a collapsed building in Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia Saturday, June 22, 2019. A seven-story building under construction collapsed in the coastal city of Sihanoukville early Saturday, killing a few workers, authorities said. (Nokorwat News via AP)

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, June 22: A seven-story building under construction collapsed in Cambodia’s coastal city of Sihanoukville early Saturday, killing seven workers and injuring 21, authorities said.

Provincial authorities said in a statement that four Chinese nationals involved in the construction have been detained while an investigation into the collapse is carried out.

Rescue work at the site was underway to find out if any more workers were trapped in the rubble, said the city police chief, Maj. Thul Phorsda.

The Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training said that 30 workers were at the site when the building tumbled around 4 a.m. Police and provincial authorities said they were unsure how many people were working on the building.

It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the collapse.

Yun Min, the governor of Preah Sihanouk province, said by telephone that the building was owned by a Chinese investor who leased land for a condominium — one of many Chinese projects in the thriving beach resort.