More than 30 people living near an ice factory were hospitalized after an ammonia gas leak broke out in a Phnom Penh neighborhood on September 1, according to the Russey Keo District Police Inspector, Heang Tharet.

One victim of the incident, which took place at Chheang Mou factory, 39-year-old Lim Simask, told Kiripost that at about 6pm, she smelled gas that made her body uncontrollable. She attempted to seek help from a neighbor and was later hospitalized.

“The stench was so strong that it made it hard to breathe,” she recalled. “I felt like I was suffocating and my body was weak and unsteady. I thought I was going to die. My little daughter told me that she was having trouble breathing too. At that moment, I didn't believe that I was going to survive.”

Simask, who has spent nearly 20 years residing in Sangkat Chrang Chamreh Pir along the Mekong River, where the incident took place, is now urging business owners to take precautions to prevent exposure. Since the incident, the factory owner has given an apology and guarantees regarding the treatment of afflicted individuals.

Som Chamroeun, 21, who was also involved in the incident, told Kiripot that the gas leak caused multiple old people and children to faint. He said he was able to save some of the victims as he was not immediately badly affected by the leak.

“Although I was affected, I was able to withstand it. However, other passers-by, including elderly people and a girl with nosebleeds near my house, immediately fainted and were taken to the hospital,” Chamroeun told Kiripost in an interview.

He said that the gas leaking was so heavy that it blocked out oxygen from the air. However, Chamroeun inhaled a large amount of gas, and he and his sister were later hospitalized with symptoms of severe suffocation and a sore throat.

On Tuesday, residents blocked the road to protest, demanding that the ice factory relocate as soon as possible to address their concerns about their health and serious illnesses in the future, according to Chamroeun.

Cheam Vantha, 63, who has lived in Sangkat Chrang Chamreh Pir for more than 20 years, told Kiripost that his family was not directly impacted by the leak because the wind blew the chemicals east of the Mekong River. He added that this is not the first time there has been an ammonia leak at the factory.

He recalled multiple occasions within the last decade. “There have been [gas leaks] four times already, including this time. In the first case, there was not a leak but an explosion of ammonia gas from the factory,” he said.

"At that time, the smell of gas leaking made it difficult for me to breathe and burned my eyes. I was unable to see anything and I was taken straight to the hospital. The gas hit their employees and people near the factory hard.”

Vantha lives behind the ice factory and said that the victim’s family has repeatedly demanded intervention from authorities, but their request has gone unheard. He suggests that the factory relocate to a new, specified area to avoid repeatedly negative impacts on people living nearby. He also said it is essential that the factory restructure to be less disruptive to the community.

Ouch Vuthy, President of the Virtuous Medical Association, explained that ammonia is a colorless chemical gas that is able to convert heated air into a cold gas, which is commonly used in refrigerators, air conditioners, and ice production.

He emphasized that ammonia does not pose a danger unless it leaks, however, in large quantities, it can have a negative health impact.

“The leakage of ammonia gas can be harmful to the brain as it stops the oxygen that nourishes the brain and lungs. It can also cause irritation to the throat, loss of consciousness, fainting, and even death. This chemical contains radioactivity, a common ingredient in nuclear weapons,” Vuthy said.

According to the President, the company should consider the social impacts and ensure the safety of local residents' interests. He called on relevant ministries to take restrictive measures and vigorously implement a lawsuit against the business owner.

The small-scale Ms. Chheang Mou ice production factory has been operating in Sangkat Chrang Chamres II, Khan Russey Keo, Phnom Penh, for almost 20 years. However, there have been several ammonia gas leaks during this time, which have had serious consequences for the health and safety of residents living nearby.

Phnom Penh deputy governor, Koeut Chhe, told Kiripost that authorities have suspended the ice factory’s operations after the specialized department inspected its standards and found that it needs to be restructured.

He added that authorities are following the legal procedures for businesses to give the factory owner time to relocate to a designated location.

“The authorities advised the factory owner to relocate the factory to another location. After residents protested against the factory's operations due to safety concerns, the factory owner and residents eventually agreed to relocate the factory to a location on the outskirts of the city,” he said.

Kiripost contacted the factory for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

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