A FIRE destroyed 23 hectares of ricefields owned by residents in Mongkul Borei, Banteay Meanchey province district on Sunday. Mongkul Borei district governor Y Loung said that 20 hectares in Rahat Teuk commune and three hectares in Bot Trang commune were destroyed as they were almost ready to be harvested. “We do not know the real reason yet, but we doubt it was caused by cigarettes or residents cooking,” he said. “We are investigating whether someone burnt it or not.”