A wooden house in Kampong Chhnang province collapsed during funeral rites for its deceased owner on Tuesday night, leaving five women injured.

Villagers were paying respects to a recently deceased neighbour when the ceiling of the decaying house caved, said Rin Rotha, Kampong Chhnang town police chief.

“There were a lot of participants staying in the small, old house, [they were] praying to the monks and then the ceiling broke,” Rotha said.

Rotha said three women were seriously injured: Tuk Chhengki, 60, who broke both her legs and back bone; Chhem Han, 73, who sustained a bleeding head wound; and Um Sinath, 72, who was burned by boiling water the women were about to cook with. Yeay Hum, 70, and pregnant Chap Sari, 30, sustained minor injuries.

“The injured were sent immediately to the provincial referral hospital for treatment,” Rotha said.

City Hall bans marches for Labour Day and beyond