Building collapses in southern Cambodia, 36 dead and 23 injured

At least 36 people have been killed in a building collapse in southern Cambodia. A seven-floor tourist guesthouse which was under construction fell to the ground in Kep province on Friday. The rescue operations which continued for two days managed to pull out 23 people from the rubble.

Six children dead

Authorities have estimated that 30 workers remained trapped under the rubble but Ros Udong, provincial spokesman told the international media that the number of dead and injured was higher than anticipated. The list of causalities included 14 women and six children though the authorities have still not been able to explain the presence of children on the site. 

Read:Cambodian National Held With Wild Boar Teeth At Bengaluru Airport

Read:Cambodia Offers Some Breathtaking Adventures Worth Experiencing, Check Them Out

Workers advocacy groups have always pointed out low safety standards at construction sites in Cambodia. Describing the horrors, Ei Kosal, a worker told international media that he, his wife and two other women were having a meal on the site when the entire building collapsed in front of their eyes. He also said that his two companions were also killed in the collapse.

Kep governor Ken Satha said that the couple who owned the building have been detained for further questioning. Meanwhile, in a press briefing, Prime minister Hun Sen defended the government response. In a statement, he said that no officials in Kep province would be fired. He further said that building collapses happen all over the world adding that this kind of accidents don’t only happen in Cambodia but also elsewhere including the United States.

Read: Cambodia Dismayed Over US Sanctions For Corruption, Logging

Read:Cambodia PM Hun Sen Accepts Trump's Invitation, Offers To Renew Relations

A similar incident happened six months ago in Preah Sihanouk province in Southwest Cambodia where a building collapsed at a Chinese owned construction site leaving  28 people dead. Seven people were also charged with involuntary manslaughter. PM Hun Sen also fired a disaster management official over the incident. Cambodia is currently undergoing a construction boom with hotels, high rises and casinos springing up in the small nation.