Rescue workers search for victims on higher floors of hotel after deadly Poipet casino blaze

Special​ Report​ from​ Cambodia​ 

Vincent​ Macisaac

They said rescue workers were seen lowering bodies from the hotel’s upper floors on Friday morning as the search for victims extended above the hotel’s ground floor.

The high-rise hotel, located behind the gambling area, is ranked the No. 1 hotel in Poipet by TripAdvisor.

The blaze that erupted shortly before midnight on Wednesday destroyed the casino’s gambling area and spread to another casino on the opposite side of the main road that leads through the town from Thailand.

Witnesses said that the fire had spread from Grand Diamond to Poipet Resort and Casino via pedestrian walkways that connected the two casinos, which are operated by Grand Exclusive Poipet Cambodia.

The two casinos are the first to greet Thai gamblers crossing the Cambodian border to Poipet – the main border checkpoint between the two countries known for its abundance of casinos.

Both casinos are reportedly owned by fugitive Thai politician and former deputy interior minister Vatana Asavahame, who is believed to have fled to Cambodia after an arrest warrant was issued for him in 2008 on corruption-related charges. He was also convicted in 2018 to three years in jail in a land fraud case.

As of 11.30am on Friday, the death toll had reached 25. It is expected to rise further as rescue crews search more rooms in the hotel. On Wednesday night, numerous hotel guests were filmed jumping from their rooms to escape the blaze as crowds outside wailed in horror. The shocking videos are circulating widely on social media in Cambodia and around the world.

Andrew Wallace, director of compliance at Cambodia’s National Quality Inspection Centre for Fire Equipment, Fire Safety Systems, said investigations were underway to identify the cause of the fire as well as the fire-fighting arrangements at the casinos.

He said that casinos in Poipet had their own fire-engines, but added it was too soon to determine what infrastructure – if any – Grand Diamond to Poipet Resort and Casino had put in place to deal with a blaze.

“I’ve just arrived at the scene this morning and have not yet examined the [architectural] drawings of the casino,” he told The Nation.

Wallace said it would be difficult to rescue people from a tall building in any country, explaining that rescue cranes cannot reach very high floors. Hence, it is critical for tall buildings to be equipped with their own fire-fighting equipment.

Although Cambodia still lacks a building code, it does have legal requirements for fire safety, Wallace said, adding that he had helped draft these for the country’s Ministry of Interior in his capacity as vice-president of the Association of Fire Prevention Enterprises. The fire safety code was drafted in 2019 and a "prakas" (ministerial declaration) earlier this year made it legally binding. Wallace said the delay between the draft code and the "prakas" was the result of Covid-19.

He said the code applies to old buildings, newly constructed ones, and those under construction, among other facilities at risk of fire.

He said it was too early to determine the cause of the deadly blaze, which has been attributed to several factors, including a gas explosion and electrical fire, by Cambodian media.

Wallace, who works closely with the Interior Ministry, said Cambodia was making great strides in fire safety.

Two staff who survived the blaze told The Nation that they did not hear fire alarms on the floors of the hotel where they were working. “I learned there was a fire when I heard people screaming below,” said one, who requested anonymity.

Both casino employees were unaware of any fire drills taking place at the complex.

Meanwhile, parents of missing casino employees are posting photos and messages on social media asking anyone who has seen their children to contact them immediately.

Others expressed shock as well as condolences to the families of those who had died.

An official at Cambodia’s gambling regulator, the General Secretariat of Commercial Gambling Management Commission, said it was not the commission’s job to inspect casinos for fire hazards before issuing a licence. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The commission renewed the licences of Cambodia’s 70 casinos in the second quarter of this year, saying it would help boost tourism revenue.

Management at Grand Diamond City Hotel and Casino and Poipet Resort and Casino did not reply to requests for comment. They did, however, post an announcement online saying the casino will be “temporarily closed”.