A large building being constructed inside Phnom Penh’s Special Economic Zone caught fire at about 12pm yesterday, sending smoke visible for kilometres billowing into the air and bringing 20 fire engines to the scene, municipal fire department officials said.

About 40 metres by 70 metres of the building in Por Sen Chey district was on fire, said Prom Yorn, director of the municipal fire department, who added that authorities contained the blaze in about an hour.

Net Vutha, director of the Interior Ministry’s fire department, described the damage as minimal, adding that no one was hurt in the fire as it began during lunchtime when workers were outside the building.

“Only the wood and plastic pieces were burnt and the building is intact, with just some smoke stains on the wall,” Vutha said.

But one female firefighter fainted from the smoke, he added, saying she regained consciousness immediately after a medical rescue team came to assist her.

Officials have yet to identify the cause of the blaze, according to Yorn, but some workers on the construction site said they suspect the fire began when sparks fell on pieces of wood and plastic that were scattered around the building.

Attempts to reach PPSEZ representatives yesterday to identify the owner of the building were unsuccessful.