Battambang officials are warning about the dangers of chemical powder after a female worker died on Saturday in an explosion while smashing sodium chloride to spray on longan plants.

Ratanak Mondol district police chief Sorn Nil told The Post on Sunday that the victim, Yean Ya, 30, had been working at the longan farm for just five days and was paid 30,000 riel ($7.50) a day to mix chemical powder to fertilise the plants.

“She took the chemical to put in the tank and smashed it to become powder but then it exploded,” he said.

Nil said the incident happened around 1:30pm and when the police went to the scene they found the longan tree broken in two due to the force of the blast.

“The victim was found 3m from the explosion and her body was severed from the waist down and torn to shreds,” he said.

The victim had worked doing the same thing in Thailand for 10 years, according to a co-worker and had experience in mixing the chemical.

Police have classified the incident as an accident and will not take any action against the farm’s owner.

Ratanak Mondol district governor In Saorith said on Monday that it’s important to educate residents about the dangers of chemicals.

“I have also told the department of agriculture in Ratanak Mondol district to educate the farmers on the right way to handle chemicals,” he said.