Dozens killed and injured in the fire of a hotel that includes a casino in Cambodia
The fire broke out at the Grand Diamond City Hotel in the Cambodian town of Poipet.
A.F.B
At least 19 people were killed on Wednesday night, Thursday, in a hotel fire that includes a casino on the border between Cambodia and Thailand, at the height of the year-end celebrations, while the Cambodian authorities fear that “dozens” of others may have been killed in this accident.
"There are 19 dead at this stage and the total number of dead could be higher than that," said Sik Sukhum, director of the information office in Thailand's Bantia Min Che province.
A preliminary police report stated that the fire that broke out at the Grand Diamond City Hotel in the Cambodian town of Poipet, resulted in "about 10 dead and 30 injured."
But the Thai official himself said at the time that the death toll could rise with "dozens" of other dead.
On the Thai side, local authorities said 13 people were also seriously injured, said a health official in Sa Kaeo province, which borders Cambodia.
The governor of the province, Parinya Photisat, said that "more than 50 people" are receiving treatment in hospitals in this Thai province, and about 60 others left the hospital after a medical examination.
He added that a total of 79 Thais, 30 Cambodians and eight Indonesians have passed through Thai hospitals.
An initial report from the Thai side indicated that 13 people were seriously injured, according to an official in charge of health affairs in Sa Kaeo province.
The fire destroyed the multi-storey compound, as well as a pedestrian bridge linking the two buildings.
A source in the Thai Foreign Ministry said that Thai firefighters were mobilized to control the fire.
A member of the Thai rescue team said that the fire quickly spread to the hotel because of the presence of carpets.
The same source added that he saw people jumping from the roof to escape the fire.
"The fire was heavy and smoke was everywhere," he said.
I saw people running away from the smoke.”
The Grand Diamond City Hotel is located about 200 meters from the border post on the busy road linking the Thai capital, Bangkok, to the tourist city of Siem Reap.
Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news