A home-made tractor loaded with cassava and workers from a nearby plantation rolled down a hill when the driver lost control of the vehicle on Monday, killing at least one worker and injuring 15 others in Kratie province’s Chhlong district.

The 16 workers were sitting on top of the cassava cargo on the tractor as they made their way back from the plantation.

When the vehicle picked up speed while driving down a hill, the driver lost control and it turned over, said the workers.

Chhlong district police chief Hong Sokly said the tractor driver was to blame for the accident, as he failed to properly maintain the vehicle and keep it in safe working order.

Ambulances from the provincial hospital rushed to the scene but were unable to save one of the workers, who had a serious head injury, Hong Sokly added.

The 15 injured workers were still in hospital yesterday, according to Ou Villay, director of the referral hospital in Kratie province, while the body of the dead worker has been returned to his family.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kim Yuthana at [email protected]