“The accident was caused by an electrical short circuit,” said Khun Kim, vice chairman of the national disaster management commission, confirming the death of 26 people.
A short circuit caused the fire that destroyed a hotel and casino on the Cambodia-Thailand border, the authorities announced today, while criticizing the layout of the building complex, which delayed the work of firefighters and rescue crews.
The fire broke out on Wednesday at 18:30 (Greece time) at the Grand Diamond City in Paoipet, a city in Cambodia, just 200 meters from the border with Thailand.
The flames spread at great speed and guests were forced to jump from windows and balconies to escape, according to horrifying videos uploaded online and narrated by rescue workers.
“The accident was caused by an electrical short circuit,” said Khun Kim, vice chairman of the national disaster management commission, confirming the death of 26 people, including 17 Thai nationals, one Malaysian national and one Nepali national.
“Some were charred, others died due to lack of oxygen, others burned and died as they searched for the exit,” he enumerated, citing the delay in the fire department’s operation caused by the lack of equipment and the arrangement in the hotel complex.
Thai casino worker Neug, 42, said his father died in a hotel room after helping two women escape. “He used up too much energy to help them and died of suffocation because of the smoke,” he told AFP. “Now all I would like is for his body to be recovered.”
The search for victims ended on Friday night after rescue teams checked the entire building, according to Kun Kim. The Cambodian emergency services were assisted by those from Thailand, who rushed from the other side of the border and received many injured.
According to Thai authorities, more than 50 people were transported and admitted to hospitals, 13 of whom remained in critical condition as of Friday night.
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