Chinese builders held as toll in Cambodia building collapse rises to 24

The death toll in a building collapse in Cambodia has risen to 24 and rescuers are continuing to search the rubble for more trapped workers.

As the search continued for survivors of the Sihanoukville disaster in on Monday, it emerged that three Chinese nationals involved in the construction had been detained while the collapse was investigated.

The unfinished, seven-storey building collapsed early on Saturday on top of dozens of construction workers who slept each night on the second floor.

The condominium was being built in the thriving seaside town, which has been transformed in recent years by a mainly Chinese-led building boom catering to tourists who flock to newly established casinos.

Preah Sihanouk provincial authorities said rescuers digging through the twisted metal and concrete rubble found five bodies overnight.

Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen also visited the site late on Sunday. Pictures released by the provincial authorities showed him in front of the collapsed building talking to several government ministers involved in the rescue.

At least 24 workers were injured in the collapse. One of them, Nhor Chandeun, said he and his wife were sleeping when they heard a loud noise and felt the building vibrate then begin falling down. They were trapped for 12 hours before rescuers found them.

The government’s labour ministry said 30 workers were at the site when the building collapsed, but Nhor Chandeun said there were about 55 to 60 people inside the building.

There has been mounting concern in Cambodia about the standard of Chinese construction companies operating in the country.

The Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that Seng Loth, a spokesman for Cambodia’s ministry of land management, planning, and construction, said the collapsed building had been erected without permission.

“It was an unlicensed project, and the provincial authorities had warned the developer twice, but they ignored the warnings,” he told Xinhua.

The Chinese embassy in Phnom Penh released a statement on Monday which said it “supports a thorough investigation of the accident and necessary measures by competent Cambodian authority in accordance with the law”.

It said the embassy was greatly saddened by the collapse and had reached out to Chinese enterprises in Cambodia to mobilise personnel as well as heavy equipment such as excavators to clear the rubble.