Death Toll in Cambodia Building Collapse at 28
Building was under construction; Prime Minister Hun Sen visited the site late Sunday, asked provincial governor to resign
At least 28 construction workers are confirmed dead after a building under construction in the Cambodian coastal city of Sihanoukville collapsed. Another 24 were injured. Rescue workers continued on Monday to search the rubble of the collapsed building for survivors. The workers were sleeping on the second floor of the seven-story building early Saturday morning. Survivors said at least 50 to 60 workers used the building as their housing. The project was to be a condominium and was owned by a Chinese investor. Police have detained four people for questioning about the collapse, all said to be Chinese. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who visited the site late Sunday, announced on his Facebook that he was establishing a special committee to exert control of Chinese building projects in the town. He also said in his Facebook message that he asked provincial Governor Yun Min to resign and he agreed to do so. The Chinese embassy in Cambodia expressed its condolences and said it was mobilizing Chinese assistance for the rescue effort. Sihanoukville has seen a boom in Chinese funded construction in recent years, mostly casinos, residential buildings and hotels.