Three Cambodian vendors at the Rong Klue Market on the Cambodia-Thailand border lost all their merchandise after a fire erupted in the early hours on Monday and burned down four stores, an official said.

Yal Bunpov, a border official stationed at Poipet, said the fire started at about 12:30am in the market, located in Thailand’s Aranh district, which borders Banteay Meanchey province.

The blaze consumed the four stores the three Cambodian vendors rented along with all their goods, which included shoes, shocks, umbrellas and bags, Bunpov said.

“According to the primary report of Thai authorities, it concluded that the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction,” he said, adding that no one was injured.

Based on the incident report, Thai authorities utilising 20 fire engines spent more than two hours extinguishing the blaze and used three excavators to separate the burning stores from others to prevent the fire from spreading, Bunpov said.

Poipet town governor Ngor Mengchruon visited the site yesterday morning and asked Aranh district authorities to urge the market to consider compensating the Cambodian vendors.

Authorities were still determining the total estimated damage.

A Cambodian vendor who wasn’t affected said the fire took place in building “D,” which experienced a fire last year that damaged many stores.