Fire hit the four-storey building of a Taiwanese-operated factory, Grandtex International Co, at 7 pm local time, causing the structure to collapse.

"Fortunately no one was seriously injured. The workers have suffered from slight injuries such as bruises and light burns," said Zhang Xinyuan, an official in charge of consular affairs at the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh.

When the fire broke out, some workers were still on an overtime shift which began at 4 pm. Fortunately, most of the workers were outside the building when it fell.

Zhang said the factory employed around 30 Chinese workers from several provinces, including Northeast China's Jilin Province and East China's Zhejiang Province.

He said these workers may have lost documents and some personal belongings kept in the building. "We will check their identity and reissue their certificates as soon as possible," Zhang said.

Local authorities are investigating the incident. Some suspected that the inferno was the result of an electrical fault.

Chinese Embassy Counsellor Peng Anhai yesterday summoned a senior Cambodian police official, urging an early settlement of this case and other criminal cases involving Chinese victims.

Peng also called for intensified protection of Chinese citizens.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2003)