Two cement workers were crushed to death by falling rocks while drilling at an explosion site on a mountain in Kampot province on Friday, local authorities said.

The tragedy occurred in La’ang commune’s La’ang village in Dang Tong district.

District deputy police chief Men Ly said the victims, 29-year-old Kun Ral and 33-year-old Nheb Sarun, were cousins from Kandorl commune’s Damnak Trach village in Teuk Chhou district. They both worked for Thai Boon Roong Cement Co Ltd.

“One of the victims’ bodies was crushed completely, while the other’s lower half was crushed. This is a work-related accident.

“Representatives of Thai Boon Roong Cement Co Ltd will be responsible for paying compensation to the relatives of the two workers of $35,000 plus four million riel for funeral arrangements,” Ly said.

Ral’s brother, Kun Saran, 34, who is a drilling worker at the factory, told The Post on Sunday that the company has claimed it will provide the compensation, but it hasn’t offered details.

“Factory representatives have said they will provide compensation for each worker to the tune of $35,000, and that the money will be paid by Monday, June 1. But they haven’t mentioned the money for the funeral yet and we have not received anything so far,” Saran said.

Building and Wood Workers Trade Union Federation of Cambodia (BWTUC) vice-president Sou Chhlonh said on Sunday that he is urging the Ministry of Labour, local authorities and relevant institutions to inspect the technical standards of the explosion site.

Chhlonh believes the accident could have been a “technical error”.

He said: “Based on information the union federation has collected, about three hours had passed after a planned detonation at the site. The explosion had not yet reached the point at which rocks start to collapse.

“It was not until about 4pm that four workers in the quarry section drilled to detonate the boulder again, and it collapsed on the two workers.”