POLICE have arrested three people in connection with a fire that engulfed a warehouse in Sen Sok district this week, including the owner of the building, officers said Wednesday.

Investigators say the owner illegally stored thousands of litres of flammable liquid that was accidentally ignited, causing the blaze that completely destroyed the warehouse on Tuesday evening.

The three men arrested were Siev Khay, the owner of the warehouse, and employees Ros Sophal and Thach Bunvan, said Sen Sok district Police Chief Mok Hong.

Police said Siev Khay did not have permits from local authorities to store the liquid in his warehouse. Siev Khay fled the scene as the flames spread through the building Tuesday, Mok Hong said.

“We arrested them because they caused the fire and damaged public order. The warehouse owner illegally stocked thousands of litres of liquid without permission from authorities,” he said. “He escaped while the fire was blazing, but he did not cooperate with us.”

Mok Hong said the three suspects would face a court investigation to determine whether they should be charged with specific crimes.

The warehouse fire was sparked when liquid being transferred from a large tank to a smaller tank spilled and poured over a running motor, Mok

Hong said.

The fire completely razed the warehouse and also destroyed a motorbike and a tuk-tuk, according to a police report on the incident.

Officials reported that the fire started Tuesday around 4pm and was extinguished by 7pm, after 20 fire engines were dispatched to the scene.

Mok Hong said firefighters managed to put out the fire before it damaged nearby houses.