A driver of a lorry carrying cassava was burnt to death early on Thursday morning after he apparently lost control of the vehicle causing it to veer off the road and catch fire in Kratie province’s Chitr Borei district.

Chitr Borei district police chief Yan Heang said on Thursday that the victim, Sambin Sienghai, 19, lived in Sambok village in Chitr Borei district’s Sambok commune.

Sienghai was driving the lorry south along National Road 7 near Kou Lorb commune’s Banteay village when the accident occurred.

When he reached the Thmar Bang area, he lost control of the vehicle which ran off the road and overturned. Sparks from the subsequent impact caused a fire that swept through the cab of the truck.

Sienghai, who was trapped inside the crushed cab, failed to escape the burning vehicle and died shortly afterwards.

“No third party was involved in the accident. We think it was the fault of the driver. My officers believe that maybe the victim fell asleep at the wheel which resulted in the lorry losing control and careening off the road,” Heang said.

After the accident, police examined the scene, helped remove the victim’s body from the vehicle and have now handed the body over to his family for funeral preparations.

According to the Koh Santepheap newspaper, the truck was carrying a full load of cassava.

The newspaper said it has not been established how many people were travelling with the victim because the accident happened at night.

After being made aware of the accident, district police used two fire engines to put out the flames, but it was too late to save the driver.

On Thursday, authorities were still searching for the owner of the truck and trying to ascertain the source and destination of the cassava.