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Search After Casino Fire in Cambodia Ends, 26 Confirmed Dead

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Casino Fire in Cambodia

Cambodia authorities have announced that the search for bodies in the wreckage of a burned-out casino hotel complex in western Cambodia had ended, with 26 people confirmed dead.

After 39 hours of rescue and search operations, Banteay Meanchey province Governor Um Reatrey told The Associated Press by phone that there were 57 injured survivors of the Wednesday night fire at the Grand Diamond City casino and hotel in the town of Poipet.

Seventeen of the dead were from Thailand, one from Nepal, one from Malaysia, and one from China, he said, adding that six bodies had yet to be identified.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office of Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province, which borders Cambodia, reported 27 deaths — 26 in Cambodia and one in a Thai hospital. It was reported that of the 112 people injured, 27 were still in hospitals and 85 had returned home.

Many of the injured were taken to Thailand for treatment, which provided firefighting and rescue assistance. Thais made up a sizable proportion of the casino complex’s visitors and employees.

Searchers at the disaster site failed to find any new bodies Friday afternoon, despite the fact that more bodies were expected to be discovered.

The fire at the Grand Diamond City Casino complex began late Wednesday night and was put out more than 12 hours later, on Thursday afternoon.

Casino Fire in Cambodia

Grand Diamond City casino had 500 employees

According to Soth Kimkolmony, a spokesperson for Cambodia’s National Committee for Disaster Management, the Grand Diamond City casino complex has 500 employees and 1,000 customers on Wednesday. It was unclear how many people were present when the fire started and how many were able to flee to safety.

Many of the injured had been rushed across the border to Thailand for treatment. This, combined with the chaotic rescue efforts, made determining the exact number of casualties difficult.

Thai and Cambodian rescue teams searched the two-building complex together. Governor Um Reatrey stated that 1,009 Cambodians and 221 Thais assisted in the search.

Thailand’s Ruamkatanyu Foundation, a social welfare organization that sends volunteers to disaster sites, announced Friday that the search operation in the casino complex’s main 17-story building had been completed and that it was withdrawing its teams. It stated that its searchers were unable to enter the more severely damaged 6-story section of the complex because it was too dangerous.

Casino Fire in Cambodia

Fire created a stampede in the casino

According to preliminary findings, the fire may have been caused by New Year’s holiday decorations that drew too much electricity, causing wires to overheat and burn, according to local authorities.

Poipet city Governor Keat Hul described the chaos when the fire broke out, according to Khmer Times, a Cambodian English-language news website.

“Hotel and casino employees attempted to put out the fire with fire extinguishers but were unsuccessful. “Everyone was panicking and rushing everywhere, but primarily for the nearest exit,” he said. “There was a stampede out at the main entrance when black smoke billowed through the building,” I was told.

He was quoted as saying that many of the deaths were caused by smoke inhalation, and that some people died when they jumped from high stories to escape the flames.

Poipet in western Cambodia is a busy cross-border trade and tourism hub opposite the more prosperous Thai city of Aranyaprathet.

Casinos are not permitted in Thailand. Many Thais gamble in neighboring countries such as Cambodia, a popular tourist destination with easy international connections. Poipet is home to more than a dozen casinos.

The Grand Diamond City casino is a short walk from the Thai border and is popular with customers who make the four-hour drive from Bangkok, Thailand’s capital.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made his first public comments on the tragedy during a road repair ceremony in the southern province of Kampot on Friday morning.

He expressed his condolences and stated that the incident demonstrated that all tall buildings in the country must have adequate firefighting equipment. He also thanked everyone who helped with the rescue effort, including those from Thailand.

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