At least 3 dead, dozens injured as building collapses in Cambodia

At least three people died when an under-construction building collapsed at a Cambodian beach resort early on Saturday, officials said, amid fears dozens more were left trapped in the rubble.

The seven-storey building in the beach town of Sihanoukville, collapsed with workers inside. The building is owned by a Chinese company.

“We have pulled out a body and we see two more bodies still stuck between debris,” said Yun Min, governor of Preah Sihanouk province, adding at least 13 people were injured.

Photos of the scene shared on social media showed groups of rescuers working their way through a crumpled heap of steel girders and concrete.

“There are more than 30 people in the pile of debris from the building,” Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said in a Facebook post, citing witnesses.

He said all of the dead were Cambodian, including two workers and a translator.

Governor Yun Min said around 50 workers would normally have been on the site at the time.

“We have rescued 20 so far … we still can’t say exactly how many are trapped in the debris,” he said, adding some may not have been at work at the time of the accident.

The building belonged to a Chinese national, who rented the land from a Cambodian owner.

Chinese investment has flooded in in recent years, spurring a construction boom in a resort town known for its casinos, which pull in mainland tourists.

There are around 50 Chinese-owned casinos and dozens of hotel complexes under construction.

Cambodia, one of Southeast Asia’s poorest countries, has notoriously lax safety laws and labour protections. Accidents are common at its building sites.

Police have detained four people, including three construction supervisors, for questioning in relation to the accident, according to a statement from the province.