A demolition worker, 26, died yesterday morning when a rock struck him in the stomach while he and co-workers cleared a mountain area where a road will soon be built, police said.

Pok Saveut, also known as Joy, from the Long Nam company, died on the way to Prey Veng provincial hospital, said Soy Dara, in charge of autopsies at Ba Phnom district police station.

“The piece of rock gutted him. The company and his family tried to send him to hospital,” he said.

Saveut, from Battambang, was a father of two boys, one of whom is only about 3 months old, Dara added.

Saveut’s brother, Pok Chet, 22, said an excavator appeared to have triggered explosives that had not gone off earlier.

“Right now, I don’t know whether the company will compensate my family for this accident,” he said.

Tong Vanny, a truck driver for Long Nam, said the company had an obligation to compensate the victim. However, he added, workers are yet to be paid December’s wages.

Company officials could not be reached for comment.