Deadly Explosion at Cambodian Military Base: 20 Soldiers Killed

Jakarta –

A weapon exploded at a military base in Cambodia 20 soldiers were killed. Based on the results of the investigation, the heat wave that was sweeping the Southeast Asian region played a role in the deadly explosion.

As is known, most of the countries in South Asia and South East Asia are being hit by a heat wave. Cambodia itself has been struggling with extremely hot weather in recent weeks.

Local authorities warned on Sunday (28/4) local time that the temperature could reach 43 degrees Celsius in some areas, although rain and colder weather were expected in the coming days.

Reported by AFP, Thursday (2/5/2024), the results of the investigation were announced by the Cambodian Ministry of Defense. The military explosion that took place on Saturday (27/4) destroyed all parts of the military transport truck and melted the surrounding buildings.

Several other soldiers and one child in a rural area in Kampong Speu Province were injured. Investigators believe a heat wave played a role in the explosion of old ammunition at the military base.

“The munitions explosion incident on April 27, 2024… was a technical problem because the weapons were old, worn out and the weather was hot,” Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

However, no further explanation was given about the specific problem or how heat may have contributed to the fatal explosion. Cambodia’s Ministry of Defense rejected suggestions that the blast was staged by rebel soldiers or that it was an act of terrorism.

Fatal incidents involving weapons are not uncommon in Cambodia. In addition, Cambodian land is known to be littered with ammunition, mines and unexploded ordnance remnants from civil conflicts over the past decades.
Such incidents are exacerbated by lax safety standards.

After the explosion west of the capital Phnom Penh, images posted on social media showed single-story buildings engulfed in smoke, while residents of nearby towns also shared online photos of broken windows.

Several other photos showed what appeared to be civilians, including a small child wearing a diaper, suffering injuries and being treated at a local hospital. An office building and barracks near the blast site were also destroyed, and 25 houses around the place were also damaged.

Prime Minister (PM) Hun Manet said the families of the dead would receive US$ 20,000 (Rp. 323.8 million) each, while the wounded soldiers would receive US$ 5,000 (Rp. 80.9 million).

(deck/deck)