Blazing fire hits nightclub in Phnom Penh

A blazing fire hit a local nightclub in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Saturday, July 1, as local authorities report a death toll of eight individuals.

Located in Sangkat Phsar Depot 1, Khan Toul Kork, Phnom Penh, nightclub ‘6969’ was still in the midst of a renovation when the fire broke out on Saturday evening around 5 pm.

The first announcement came on Saturday when six individuals were pronounced dead, followed by two more casualties on Sunday.

Amongst the victims were two Vietnamese nationals and six Chinese nationals — a 46-year-old man from Hong Kong, a 29-year-old woman from China and four men aged 23 to 30 from the Guangdong region.

According to San Sok Seiha, Phnom Penh’s Municipal Police spokeswoman, all the victims were construction workers and they were confined to the 5th floor of the building.

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She also added, "According to forensic examination by doctors, the eight persons died of suffocation."

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Director of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Office, Colonel Prohm Yorn, mentioned that although firefighters arrived quickly, they were unable to rescue the victims due to the toxic smoke and that they were confined to a much-elevated part of the structure.

The cause of the fire was due to an electrical wiring issue that was caused by a short circuit. Police have detained four individuals through their investigation.

On April 1, a fire also broke out at another nightclub in Phnom Penh called ‘Club 666’. There were no casualties mentioned and Colonel Prohm Yorn was able to control the blaze.

Yet another venue in Phnom Penh that was under construction caught on fire last year in November. No casualties were recorded, but its interiors were seriously damaged.

Via: The Star & Khmer Times

Miki Kitasako is Mixmag Asia’s Social Media and Content Producer, follow her on LinkedIn.