At least 19 people were killed when a fire tore through the Cambodian Hotel-Casino at the Thai border, local authorities said. Hundreds were inside the building, called the Grand Diamond City, in the border city of Poipet, when it caught fire at about 9.30 pm (16:30 GMT) Wednesday.
Videos that have been spreading on social media showed people seemingly jumping from the top floors or falling—the hotel casino employed 400 workers, with many Thai nationals among its guests.
Many victims are believed to have been trapped on the top floors, and the Thai volunteer organization, Ruamkatanyu Foundation, said they were unlikely to have survived. I witnessed people running from the building to get away from the smoke, said one volunteer at the foundation. "Then we saw a few jump out.
"There are 19 deaths as far as we can see the bodies and bones," said Sek Sokhom, the head of the provincial Information Department in Banteay Meanchey, Cambodia. He warned the number of deaths might rise.
Rescue teams had difficulty reaching people inside the building due to dense smoke and were continuing to search for missing persons.
Poipet is a critical cross-border point between the two countries. It is also famous for its casinos, where many Thais go, as gambling is largely illegal in Thailand.
The buildings are right next to the Thai border, and many injured people are sent to the border to receive medical attention. Some were sent to the hospital in the nearby town of Aranyaprathet. However, the exact number of injured is not clear -- figures given by local officials and quoted in the media have varied widely. It is thought to be in the dozens. Authorities are still working to determine what caused the fire.
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