Firefighters at the scene of a major fire burning through the Grand Diamond City hotel-casino in Poipet, Banteay Meanchey province, Cambodia, on Thursday morning. Photo by Stringer/EPA-EFE
Dec. 29 (UPI) — A deadly Cambodia hotel-casino fire in the busy border town of Poipet late Wednesday into Thursday morning killed at least 19 people as some jumped from upper floor windows to escape the flames.
Authorities said the fire broke out at the Grand Diamond City hotel, near the border with Thailand, just before midnight Wednesday. Some 400 people had crowded the casino at the time of the blaze.
Along with the nearly 20 deaths, another 70 were injured with both numbers expected to rise, Banteay Meanchey province spokesman Sek Sokhom told CNN.
Peerapan Srisakorn, from the Aranyaprathet Rescue Foundation, said his crews found 11 bodies, including seven who had died from smoke inhalation in locked hotel rooms. Others died after jumping from windows.
“Two people died immediately when they hit the ground and around four to five (others) broke their legs,” Peerapan said. He said rescuers said it was difficult for them to locate victims because of the thick smoke generated by the fire.
The casino hotel is owned by fugitive former Thai legislator Vatana Asavahame, 86, who fled to Cambodia in 2008 before being convicted in connection with the Klong Dan wastewater treatment scandal.
The casino is frequented by many Thailand residents since such facilities are mostly illegal in their country. Poipet is also a top border crossing point between Thailand and Cambodia.