Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Eyewitness account at Koh Pich

By Azuriel
Source: http://www.expat-advisory.com/forum/asia/cambodia/phnom-penh-pub-expats-expats-cambodia/diamond-island-bridge

Just arrived back home after the missus and I spent some 4 hours stuck on Koh Pich ... we were just about to cross back to the mainland from the island when the stampede started, and police started cordoning the area off ... total chaos' prolly the best way to describe it ...

spent most of my 4 hours trying to help out, inclusing performing CPR on 4 girls that got fished out of the river ... unfortunately only managed to revive 2 of them ... ( ... of the other 2, only 1 had a pulse when they rushed her to hospital, but nevertheless, hope the ambulance crews managed to do more than my meagre first aid skills ...

From talking to the locals, some of the security and event management staff, and first-hand experience, I gather the following chain of events occurred; not sure these events occurred in this order though, but it's close:
- about 30-odd people were electrocuted (few direct deaths, but many losing consciousness, suffering severe burns) from contact with the metal guard rails on either side of the bridge ...
- about a dozen people fainted from the crush of the crowd, heat exhaustion, dehydration, or a combination of these, and fell underfoot ...
- Crowd panicked from the electrocutions and surged into a stampede; More people tripped or got pushed over, and got trampled underfoot ...
- People started jumping off the bridge into the river below to escape the mob; some were electrocuted climbing over the railings; some died from jumping into shallow water, or missing the water altogether, and landing on the concrete escarpments. One of the girls I performed CPR on had a nasty gash stretching from her collarbone down to just past her belly button ... not bleeding too badly, but was still a pain to patch up half-decently ...
- Curious onlookers surged towards the bridge from both ends trying to find out what was going on. POLICE WERE VERY FORCEFULLY PUSHING BYSTANDERS BACK, USING FISTS, BATONS, PISTOLS, AND PIECES OF METAL PIPING!!! ==>> AND IN PARTICULAR, SHAME SHAME SHAME ON THE BIG BLACK GUY WITH THE AMERICAN ACCENT THAT PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED MY WIFE AND I, NOT ONCE BUT TWICE: WHEN I TRACK DOWN YOUR DETAILS, I'LL BE USING ALL MY POLICE AND LEGAL CONTACTS TO PRESS CHARGES!! <<== Wish more foreigners could've put their energies into helping the wounded, as opposed to bashing up on the innocent bystanders ...
- Some police near the Koh Pich end of the bridge fired warning shops to try to disperse the crowd, but it only served to set off a 2nd panic, since no-one at that stage knew who was shooting, nor at who or what ...
- The crowd was warned to stay away from the metal guard rails along the easter edge of Koh Pich, for fear of electrocution. Around the same time, all the neon lights on the bridge were turned off, along with most of the street lamps along the eastern shore of the island.

As of 3am on Tuesday morning, the official death toll sits at 332 deaths, and 329 injured ...

a moment of silence please ...

ironically, the bayon TV concert a couple of hundred metres away blasted on throughout all of this ... ... ...

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Because of corruption under Hun Sen
regime the construction of Koh Pich brige in not standard.

So corruption under Hun Sen regime measn to kill Cambodian.

This is Hun Sen long plan , and this is one of other million plans to kill Khmer .

Anonymous said...

Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama announced Wednesday his decision to resign, making him the fourth Japanese prime minister to step down in four years.

When is incompetitive HUN SEN going to resign??

Please step out let someone to take lead!

Anonymous said...

In Cambodia, whenever there's a large crowd of people gathered in one place, don't go near it, it's almost certain that something bad would happen. These people are fanatics.

Anonymous said...

It is time to help these fellow Cambodian first.

But do not forget to prevent more Khmer from being more killed by corruption .

Koh pich brigde is not standard because of corruption .

So Koh Pich bridge is an incident .

But corruption of building Koh Pich is not an accident it is one of dirty million plans Hun Sen master to kill the whole Khmer people and society.

Anonymous said...

This is very important to Cambodia, and the Government,

Cambodian Governtment has lacking of technical Inspection:

1-Over loaded people in Airoplan, Planes got chrashed, most of the times.

2-Over Loeaded of people in cars, motocycles and so on.

3-Now over loaded people in the Bridge, the Bridge collaped. The crowed of peeople can run over on each others, people got killed.

4. Corruption Issues, they bought cheap staff to build bridge, and building, therefore, it doesnot last long.

PLEASE PLEASE INSPECT INSPECT INCPECT TO SEE WHAT IS THE CAPACITY OF IT.

Thanks
From Red-ant.

Anonymous said...

Where is BUN RANY Red Cross?

Anonymous said...

Where is the head of the RED CROSS (Bun Rany Hun Sen)?

Where is she?

Anonymous said...

Bun Rany Red Cross has to wait for the order from Hanoi on how to show crocodile tear.

Anonymous said...

If Hun Sen has real sympathy for Khmer victims of Koh Pich bridge Hun Sen must take full responsible by stepping down otherwise stop this crocodile tear .

But I am sure you will not step down or have real sympathy for Khmer people otherwise you would not do land eviction brutally at Dai Krahom, Bueng Kak, Hand Grenade attacked in 1997, Huge demonstration against fraud election results in 1998.

You are a tool of Indochina Federation.

Anonymous said...

we viet nam believe Hun Sen- CPP and the last is the KING Sihanomi did a good job and a good leaders. they are working hand in hand. They are a good leaders and good followers to our instructions.

Also thanks to all our vietnamese brothers and sisters who sacrify their family to work in all level of officials in cambodia to keep it part of viet nam.

we also want to thank His Excellency Dr. Phay Siphan, SOK Siphana and SARIN DENORA for their lips services and manipulation of international communities to support us..

Long live Viet Nam

Anonymous said...

It's really really bad situation...My deep condolence to those who have lost their beloved ones!! Please fucking people don't take this opportunity to blame other people you don't like..please try to be human mind. I'm Mex.

Anonymous said...

This is not a time to find who to blame. I saw how the government officers are trying their best to help the victims.

My condolence to the families. I pray to GOD that those who are injured will recovered soon. I really grateful to all government officers for their hard works to save the victims.

Anonymous said...

My heart goes out to all of the Khmers who lost their friends and family. Its such a tragedy that was waiting to happen but could have easily been avoided. Will someone please have the backbone to stand up and take responsibility. I think not. They will close ranks instead.

Anonymous said...

Koh Pich bridge must change its name to corrupted bridge.

Because Koh Pich bridge is not standard becasueit is builded with corruption.

So corruption is a good weapon for Hun Sen to kill Khmer people.

Anonymous said...

It's the worst situation ever...i would like to express my profound condolence to the families of those who passed away in last night's tragedy at Koh Pich.!!The government has done a very job already.They have tried their best to protect and help their people.Don't just put the blame on the other. Please Those fucking bitches stop taking this kind of sad opportunity to express your political view.That's enuf...

Hun Sen said...

សារលិខិតចូលរួមមរណៈទុក្ខ និងលាលែង

ខ្ញុំព្រះករុណា ខ្ញុំ សម្តេចអគ្គមហាមេនាបតីតេជោ ហ៊ុន សែន នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីនៃព្រះរា ជាណាចក្រ កម្ពុជា សូមចូលរួមមរណៈទុក្ខ សោកស្តាយចំពោះ ការ បាត់បង់អាយុជីវិតប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ៣៤៥នាក់ និងរបួស ៣៩៥ នាក់ ។ ការបាត់បង់នេះជាកំហុស​ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរបំផុត​ដែលមិនអាច អធ្យាស្រ័យបានឡើយ ក្នុងនាមខ្ញុំជាអ្នកដឹក នាំរដ្ឋាភិបាល និងជា​អ្នក​ទទួលខុសត្រូវម្នាក់។ ឆ្លើយតបទៅនឹងហន្តរាយ​ដែល​មិនដែលកើតមាននៅក្នុងពិភពលោក ខ្ញុំ​សូម​ប្រកាសជាសាធារណៈថាៈ ចាប់ពីថ្ងៃទី២៦ វិច្ឆិកា ២០១០ នេះតទៅរូបខ្ញុំសូមលាឈប់ពីតំណែង​ជានាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហើយសូមប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ ដាក់​ទោស​ដល់កំហុសដោយអចេតនាដែលខ្ញុំព្រះករុណា ខ្ញុំមានការធ្វេសប្រហែសមិនអាចជួយការពារ សុវត្ថិភាព អាយុជីវិតប្រជារាស្ត្របានក្នុងពេលបុណ្យ អុំទូក ២០១០នេះបាន។

សូមទទួលនូវការលាលែង សុំខមាលទោសអំពីខ្ញុំព្រះករុណា ខ្ញុំ ព្រមទាំងក្រុមគ្រួសារ ។
ភ្នំពេញ ថ្ងៃទី ២៣ វិច្ឆិកា ២០១០
ហ៊ុន សែន

Anonymous said...

The government will have done its job, when the right person is accused of negligence and sent to jail for manslaughter. That's when they will have done their job as a government - as the protector of its citizens, regardless of which party they are from.

Anonymous said...

I think this is one of few times we can blame the corrupt government for such a tragedy. Take this opportunity to look at how Khmer conducts their society/culture, accept INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY and learn. Looking at how khmer conduct themselves each day, it is no suprise a situation that could've been managed to limit deaths elsewhere, could not be managed here. Everyday on the roads, in the markets, in any queue, I see Khmer acting fanatically, with little politeness, pushing and shoving in. I am Khmer, I love being Khmer, but as a Khmer having grown up overseas, I really despise and am embarassed of such behaviours that suggest Khmers' lack of respect for one another, lack of social consciousness and consideration. Maybe the pushing and shoving mentality is a byproduct of wartime, and of a now suppressed nation where greed=power, but if we Khmer can each commit to making small changes in behaviour, have simple courtesies, allow people to pass through, follow road rules, see ourselves in a humble way and as no better than the next, imagine what a better society Cambodia would have? And it might help to prevent such tragedies happening again.

Anonymous said...

Typical of this stupid site to have every comment throwing blame around before any of you know what actually happened. I'm glad you ignorant fools got thrown out of Cambodia already, the country doesn't need illiterate imbeciles like you who only know how to survive on welfare.

Kulen Monorom said...

Your Royal Highness Samdech Ta,

Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen,


Thank you for your both kindness and understanding.

What we need is prevention method, not to let this type of accident happen again in future.

It also make me very worry to see so much alcohol allowed to enter or produced in our beloved Kingdom of Cambodia? What about “ YA BA “ from Thailand? Can Samdech Ta and Samdech Hun Sen stop all sort of drugs coming to Cambodia? The accident may not related to drugs and alcohol but just some thing that I could not sleep peacefully from now to the future in the name sake of Khmer citizen.

May almighty God Jesus Christ accept all the victim souls into heaven too.

My condolences to all the victim's family.

Regards,

Kulen Monorom
(The rice farmer's son)

Anonymous said...

If you set up your mindset like this you cannot live in peacefull. If you died accidently on the road because of you didn't wear helmet, will you blam Hun Sen?

We all should be with our leaders to share sorrow to all casualties and their families, not to link this accident to politic. Thanks for understanding.

Anonymous said...

It's not politics, but rather, who shall be held accountable of such a disaster. It is the government's lack of crowd control. Every year, we all know that people flock to Phnom Penh for these types of celebrations. Hun Sen and his government should have prepared its officials and policemen and women to control the crowd. Better preparation should have been considered for the sake of Cambodians. Everybody wants to enjoy and have fun, but when tragedy strikes, who's the blame? Yes, people panicked and didn't do what was the best thing for them BUT the government is aware that many people will come to Phnom Penh to have fun and celebrate. It should be another lesson that the government should learn from, because it's invaluable. We do not want our fellow countrymen(women) to go down like this on that very night of November 22, 2010. God bless each and everyone who was there that night and their families who are suffering.

Anonymous said...

Your web site is crazy not true

Anonymous said...

you are crazy not the website is crazy,fucking crazy man. When you strat to realize political situation in Cambodia? It strats worsth and worsth. Is it that you stratto know when we lose our land to Youn and Seim,isn't it???