Priest dies in explosion while cremating accident victim

In a tragic turn of events, a 72-year-old priest cum mortician died in an explosion while he was lighting up the pyre of a 20-year-old accident victim at a pagoda in Roveang village in Kampong Cham province on Saturday evening. Chhoeung Prey district police deputy Chief Liet Col Seng Lino said that the mortician was identified as Hoeun Soeun.

Lt Col Lino said that the priest had been burning corpses for more than 40 years, and the incident happened while he set the corpse of the youth on fire with wood and 30 litres of gasoline. “When he lighted up the corpse the big steel door of the crematorium exploded and hit on his forehead causing him to die on the spot due to serious injuries,” he added.

This is the first such accident happened at a funeral site. The metal door of the crematorium in Kampong Cham was blown off its hinges and fell on the priest. Supplied
However, the youth was cremated by other morticians, and the priest’s mortal remains were sent to his family for burial. As per the beliefs of the villagers, the reason for the death of the youth is considered ‘unnnatural’ and needs to be cremated.

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