At least 16 people died in a large fire in Cambodia on Thursday. The fire started in a hotel-casino in the border town of Poipet, international news agencies report. Cambodian authorities speak of at least fifty injured and many missing persons. There is a good chance that the death toll will rise even further. Nothing is yet known about the cause of the fire.
Videos of the fire appeared on social media. People can be seen falling from the roof of the casino after being trapped by the flames. According to the Cambodian fire department, people from the higher floors in the complex called for help and used the flashlights on their phones to alert the fire brigade to their position.
Many of the victims come from nearby Thailand, where gambling is banned. Thai authorities have sent firefighters to Poipet to help put out the fire. The fire raged for more than twelve hours before firefighters were able to bring the flames under control. According to a firefighter involved in extinguishing the fire, this was because firefighters with water cannons were unable to reach the indoor areas of the casino.