Fire ripped through a casino-hotel facility in a Cambodian town near the Thai border on Thursday, killing at least 19 people and leaving as many as 30 more missing, according to local authorities.
Around midnight, the Grand Diamond City casino and hotel in Poipet caught fire, gutting the structure by Thursday afternoon. Approximately 400 personnel and guests were inside when the Cambodia Casino fire happened, Reuters reported.
Horrific Casino Fire Scene Caught on Cam
The rescue operation was paused around dusk due to the possibility that the building would collapse, according to Cambodian police, who said that hundreds of military, police, and volunteer rescue teams had engaged.
Information chief for the province of Banteay Meanchey, Sek Sokhom, said that more than 60 people were wounded and that the Cambodia Casino fire death toll might rise to over 20.
He stated a commission was formed by the Cambodian government to determine the fire's origin. City governor Keat Hol said that firemen and other first responders were attempting to rescue visitors who were seen hanging out of windows or stranded within the structure in social media videos.
A number of people have been killed after a fire broke out at a casino in Poipet, Cambodia.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 29, 2022
It is reported some people fell from the building trying to escape the blaze while authorities worked to extinguish the flames.
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The Holiday Palace Hotel, near Grand Diamond City Casino, employs John Sagun. At first, he thought there was a fire at his hotel, but a coworker later told him it was the Grand Diamond that was burning, per Sky News.
According to Sagun, the casino kitchen seems to be where the Cambodia Casino fire originated. Cambodia's casinos in the city of Phnom Penh and along the borders with Vietnam and Thailand are a major lure for tourists, many of whom go to Cambodia from Asian countries where gambling is illegal.
Although gambling is banned in Thailand, unregulated casinos draw many short-term tourists from the neighboring country, according to BBC. Rescue personnel said that a large number of the dead were Thai nationals.
By Thursday afternoon, the blaze was under control, and security video showed firefighters donning protective gear on the building's stairs, including masks and hoods, before venturing into the smoky hallway.
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Cambodia Casino Fire Victims Were Trapped in Rooms
According to a CNN report on the Cambodia Casino fire death toll, there were 11 victims, including seven who perished from smoke inhalation in closed hotel rooms, and emergency crews couldn't examine the structure due to intense smoke. An official said, when the fire broke out, the hotel's power system went down, trapping several guests in their rooms.
According to the officials, some 700 Thai citizens were rescued from the Cambodia Casino fire and transferred to Thai hospitals. Many of the wounded were sent over the border to Thailand since the building abuts that country's territory. People were also sent to a hospital in the adjacent city of Aranyaprathet.
Major General Sithi Loh, the police commissioner for Banteay Meanchey Province, said that over 300 policemen, 11 fire engines, and several helicopters were sent to the location. Although the hotel's small and high location has made it difficult to determine the state of the flames, the exact origin of the Cambodia Casino fire is still unknown.
Both Siem Reap and Bangkok, the Thai capital, are well-known for their extensive casino scenes, and a sizable number of Thai nationals make their homes there. Because gambling in almost any form is banned in Thailand, many people go to neighboring countries to indulge in this pastime.
