Ten killed, 30 injured in hotel-casino fire in NW Cambodia

PHNOM PENH: At least 10 people were killed and about 30 others were injured in an intense fire inside a hotel-casino in northwest Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province, a police spokesman said on Thursday.

"This is the preliminary information as our rescue operation has not been completed yet," Deputy National Police Chief and spokesman Lt Gen Chhay Kim Khoeun told Xinhua, adding that the exact number of casualties will be updated later when the rescue operation ends.

The blaze broke out at the Grand Diamond City hotel-casino in Poipet City on Wednesday midnight, according to the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department.

A footage posted on the Facebook page of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department showed some people jumping down to escape the fire as some others were trapped on higher floors.

The department said the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, a rescue operation was still ongoing because the flames have not been completely put out as of 7.00 am local time on Thursday.

According to the police, the hotel and casino employed over 400 employees.

-- BERNAMA