As many as 200 workers fainted at a Kandal province garment factory yesterday morning following two small electrical fires, Free Trade Union representatives said, though local police put the figure closer to 70.

The fires occurred at about 7:15am and again at 8:30am, said Sun Srey Sros, a 27-year-old employee at Sun Best Garment factory in Kandal’s Ang Snuol district. “While we were working, an electrical fire occurred with a lot of smoke, and we were told to leave our workstations,” Sros said, adding that the second fire stunned workers.

“At that time, most workers were shocked and fainted, and some were stepped on by workers trying to get out.” Two hospitals treated a combined 64 workers, said Seng Champa, chief of quality control at Sun Best, while most were sent home.

The factory paid for all treatment, Champa added. Pok Vanthat, deputy director of labour health at the Ministry of Labour, could not be reached yesterday.