A woman was killed and three houses were damaged in a fire in Stung Meanchey commune in the capital’s Meanchey district yesterday morning.

Neth Vantha, director of the municipal fire department, said yesterday that the 20-year-old student was killed when a fire started at her mother’s house in Stung Meanchey village.

“The female victim whose life was taken was Toeur Linda,” he said. “The victim was burned all over her body and the family took the body to keep at Stung Meanchey pagoda to conduct a traditional funeral.”

Neth Vantha added that Toeur Linda’s house burned down and two other nearby houses had also suffered damage from the fire.

“[Toeur Linda] tried to hide under the bed to escape from the fire but unfortunately, the blaze burned [the house] completely,” Neth Vantha said.

He added that one of Toeur Linda’s relatives had caused the blaze after they started a fire near some petrol in order to boil water.

“We arrived at the scene in time so we could stop the fire from spreading to more places,” Neth Vantha said.