Sixteen workers were injured in an accident while commuting home from work on March 30. There were 68 workers travelling in the truck at the time of the accident, which happened in Khset commune’s Trapeang Kampis village of Svay Rieng province’s Kampong Rou district.
Kampong Rou district deputy police chief in charge of traffic Chhim Rattanak told The Post that all but one of the injured had been discharged from hospital and were recuperating at home. Bun Spohal, who was seriously injured, was still being treated at the provincial referral hospital.
“An on-the-scene investigation by my officers determined that the primary cause of the accident was careless driving,” he said.
Rattanak said his officers were now cooperating with provincial police traffic police.
“On the morning of March 31, provincial specialists discovered a number of new exhibits and were able to identify a mechanical failure in the truck, which contributed to the casualties,” he said.
Ratanak said that 24-year-old Moek Ratana – the truck driver and owner and a resident of Banteay Kraing village and commune in the district – fled the scene of the accident.
Police impounded his white Hyundai truck and retained it at the district police station, pending settlement being made with the victims.
National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Svay Rieng provincial branch director Heang Solideth told The Post that although the accident was caused a negligent driver – overtaking in bad road conditions in a truck which was not up to standard – all of the affected workers still benefited from the NSSF.
“Our team, in cooperation with local authorities, made sure that the injured were taken to hospital, where the NSSF took care of their medical expenses,” he said.
Solideth said his staff would follow up Sophal’s condition for as long as she remained in the hospital.
