- A fire broke out in a night club in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia
- 6 Chinese nationals and 2 Vietnamese nationals were victims of the fire
- Preliminary investigation by the police said that the fire started due to short circuit
Eight people died in a fire at a night club in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh on Saturday (July 1). According to a South China report, 6 Chinese nationals and 2 Vietnamese nationals were among the victims of the fire.
Local police in Phnom Penh said the fire broke out at the 6969 nightclub in Phnom Penh city at around 5pm local time on Saturday. The victims were trapped on the top floor of a 5-storey building. Officials are investigating the cause of the fire.
454 accidents in a year
Reportedly, it took several hours to douse the fire. A preliminary investigation by the police says that the fire started due to a short circuit. The incident in Phnom Penh follows a fire at a casino on the Thai-Cambodian border in December last year that killed 26 people. The fire at the Grand Diamond City Hotel Casino was caused by an electrical short circuit.
According to the National Disaster Management Committee, Cambodia recorded 454 fire accidents nationwide in 2022, killing 42 people and injuring 55 others.
Delay in extinguishing fire
According to Khun Kim, vice chairman of the National Committee for Disaster Management, some victims died of burns, some died of lack of oxygen, and some were trapped and died while exiting the casino complex.
Vice President Kun Kim also said officials took too long to put out the fire, citing the complex layout of the casino and a lack of rescue machines.
