An explosion of munitions at a military installation killed twenty Cambodian troops

An explosion of munitions at a military installation killed twenty Cambodian troops

Images from the site showed troops getting medical attention in a hospital beside a number of severely damaged houses that were still blazing, at least one of which had had its roof blasted off.

In a Facebook post, Hun Manet expressed his amazement after learning of the explosion at the facility in the province of Kampong Speu.

According to Prime Minister Hun Manet, a munitions explosion at a facility in southwest Cambodia on Saturday afternoon resulted in the deaths of 20 troops and multiple injuries. In a Facebook post, Hun Manet expressed his amazement after learning of the explosion at the facility in the province of Kampong Speu. What caused it was not immediately apparent.

Images from the site showed troops getting medical attention in a hospital beside a number of severely damaged houses that were still blazing, at least one of which had had its roof blasted off. Additional images showed homes with roof gaps. Col. Youeng Sokhon, an army official at the scene, reported on social media that numerous military vehicles were damaged and that four buildings—three for storage and one for work—had been demolished. He stated that 25 people' houses were destroyed as well.

Like many other nations in the area, Cambodia has been experiencing a protracted heat wave; on Saturday, the province where the explosion occurred had a high of 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit). High temperatures may cause explosives to lose their stability over time, increasing the possibility that a single little explosion might start a fire and a chain reaction, even if they ordinarily cannot explode ammunition. A local resident was cited by the online English-language news outlet Kiripost as stating that there was a large explosion at around 2:30 p.m., followed by minor explosions for an additional hour.

There were broken windows at a neighboring factory, and houses up to half a mile (one kilometer) distant had minor damage, according to Pheng Kimneang. Images of the base show it in a wide field, seemingly devoid of any nearby civilian buildings. Hun Manet sent his sympathies to the families of the troops and said that the government will cover the cost of their funerals and compensate the wounded as well as the dead.

He was an army commander after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He succeeded his father, Hun Sen, who governed Cambodia for 38 years until resigning, as prime minister last year.