Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Fires gut 24 homes in capital

Fires gut 24 homes in capital

Firefighters try to control a blaze in Phnom Penh in the early hours of yesterday morning after it started in a residential area.
Firefighters try to control a blaze in Phnom Penh in the early hours of yesterday morning after it started in a residential area. Shaun Turton

Fires gut 24 homes in capital

A pair of fires ripped through two Phnom Penh districts in less than 12 hours over Tuesday evening and early yesterday morning, completely destroying 24 houses.

According to Net Vuntha, Phnom Penh police deputy director in charge of fire and explosives, 15 of the destroyed houses were located near the railroad tracks in Tuol Kork district’s Boeung Kak I commune. The other nine dwellings were in Boeung Keng Kang II commune, Chamkarmorn district.

“The reasons behind the blazes have not been figured out yet, and the authorities are looking for them,” he said.

Pech Rady, who lost his home in the Boeung Kak blaze, said yesterday that authorities had told him and others that the fire started with an electrical malfunction, though rumours of arson were also circulating in the neighbourhood.

As the Kingdom enters dry season, the risk of fire increases, said Vuntha, who appealed to all people to be careful with dry waste and leaves in direct sunlight. He asked people to check their stoves, candles, incense and other flammable substances before they leave their homes.

The Ministry of Interior has recently created a department to publicise the importance of fire safety and provide training for any interested residents, according to Srey Kemheng, deputy director of weapon and fire management at the Interior Ministry.

“We will ask for policy from the ministry to reduce the fire accident in Phnom Penh city by 90 per cent in the next year,” Kemheng said.

However, only certain companies, restaurants, state institutions and NGOs have typically joined past fire training courses, he said, with ordinary citizens and small businesses such as vendors usually absent.

Paul Hurford, managing director of safety consultancy and equipment provider Azisafe, said this is a common problem. Residential fire safety seminars, while providing “good information”, routinely suffer from poor attendance. Many businesses also choose not to spend any extra money on fire safety.

“The majority of Cambodian residents don’t have adequate [fire] protection, I’d say,” he added.

According to the European Chamber of Commerce, many Cambodian buildings go up without adequate fire protection. Other buildings use a hodgepodge of standards from different countries, which can lead to incompatible equipment couplings that present a fire hazard.

Hurford said that, ideally, individuals should have fire extinguishers, fire blankets and smoke detectors. But while the associated costs might deter some, good training is available freely and people should take advantage of it, he said.

According to Vuntha, 116 fires have been recorded in the Kingdom since the start of the year, resulting in nine deaths, 11 injuries and lots of property damage.

Additional reporting by Igor Kossov

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Famed US collector family return artefacts to Cambodia

    In the latest repatriation of ancient artefacts from the US, a total of 33 pieces of Khmer cultural heritage will soon return home, according to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. In a September 12 press statement, it said the US Attorney’s Office for the

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • Kampot curfew imposed to curb ‘gang’ violence

    Kampot provincial police have announced measures to contain a recent spike in antisocial behaviour by “unruly’ youth. Officials say the province has been plagued by recent violence among so-called “gang members”, who often fight with weapons such as knives and machetes. Several social observers have

  • PM outlines plans to discuss trade, policy during US visit

    Prime Minister Hun Manet is set to meet with senior US officials and business leaders during his upcoming visit to the US for the UN General Assembly (UNGA), scheduled for September 20. While addressing nearly 20,000 workers in Kampong Speu province, Manet said he aims to affirm

  • Manet touches down in Beijing for high-level meetings

    Prime Minister Hun Manet arrived in Beijing on September 14 for his first official visit to China, where he is slated to attend the 20th China-ASEAN Expo and meet other leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Upon his arrival, Manet laid a wreath at the Monument