THE death toll in the fire that raged through a Cambodian hotel and casino in Poipet, just opposite Rong Kluea market in Aranyaprathet subdistrict, Sa Kaeo province, has reached 12 while 53 are injured and eight missing with most of them being Thai staff working there, Thai Rath newspaper said today (Dec. 29).
The luxury 17-floor hotel and casino is just 200 metres from the Aranyaprathet checkpoint with the fire having started at 2 a.m. Firemen and firetrucks were mobilised fully from Sa Kaeo to put out the blaze that had spread through a wide area of this structure.
At 9 a.m. Mr. Praphan Chanthaisri, head of Aranyaprathet Customs Checkpoint, chaired a meeting attended by senior police, ranger and immigration officers on putting out this huge fire and setting up a coordination centre to help the Thai victims.
Cambodian officials informed the Thai side that 11 people were killed in the fire but the death toll climbed to 12 as one of the victims died on the way to a Sa Kaeo hospital. As many as 53 people have been injured and eight missing with most of them being Thai staff of this Cambodian casino and hotel.
Rescuers were searching for those missing as the fire had now begun to subside.
Of the fire victims brought to the Thai side for treatment four were sent to Aranyaprathet Hospital, three to Wattana Nakorn Hospital, two to Somdej Phra Yuparaj Sa Kaeo Hospital, and five to Sura Singhanat Camp Hospital.
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Scenes from the Cambodian casino and hotel blaze. Photos: Thai Rath
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