Daughter mourns parents who died in Cambodia casino fire
The massive fire that engulfed the Grand Diamond City Casino and Hotel on the Thai-Cambodian border has left at least 27 dead, authorities said on Friday (December 30) and two of the victims were the parents of Nunthida Kongreung.
About 400 employees and patrons were in the casino and hotel in Poipet, when the fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday (December 29), leaving the building gutted by the afternoon.
“My parents were found to have inhaled smoke. The rescuers said my parents were not burnt, but they had choked from inhaling smoke. So, if help had come earlier they might have survived,” said Nunthida, 36.
Many of the victims were Thai, rescue workers said, and dozens of injured people were taken over the border to the Thai province of Sa Kaeo for treatment.
It was unclear what started the blaze but Sek Sokhom, head of the Banteay Meanchey provincial information department, said it may have been due to an electrical short circuit. A government committee has been set up to investigate the cause.
A key part of Cambodia's tourism industry, casinos in the capital of Phnom Penh and on the borders with Vietnam and Thailand are a draw for visitors from Asian nations that ban gambling.
