PHNOM PENH, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian government has set up a committee to inspect the quality of all under-construction buildings in southwestern Cambodia’s Preah Sihanouk province after an unfinished building collapsed on June 22, leaving at least 25 people dead.
The committee is led by Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction Secretary of State Lao Tip Seiha and with members from the council of ministers, interior ministry, environment ministry, national police, tourism Ministry, and Preah Sihanouk provincial authorities, according to a decision signed by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen late on Sunday.
“The committee has duties to inspect technical standard, construction licenses, construction standard, safety standard, and quality of buildings at construction sites in Preah Sihanouk province,” the decision said.
It also instructed the committee to evaluate the qualifications of construction companies and to update the already-constructed buildings.
The move came after a seven-story building, that was under-construction, in Sihanoukville city collapsed early on Saturday, killing at least 25 workers and injuring 24 others.
All of the victims were Cambodian workers, the provincial authorities said in a statement on Monday morning, adding that the rescue operation is still going on to search for more victims.
“So far, about 75 percent of the debris at the site has been removed,” the statement said.
