Three people were injured on Tuesday night when a fire broke out at a petrol station in the capital’s Chbar Ampov district.

Nirouth commune police chief Or Silihov said on Wednesday that the fire began at about 7.30pm at the Tela Sambath Mean Heng petrol station on National Road 1.

He said the fire injured three workers – Sruoch Nhien, 18, Phuong Bora, 17, and Sorn Sita, 31.

“Nhien and Bora were rescued and are being treated by emergency doctors at Calmette Hospital. Sita, who had only minor injuries, is receiving treatment at Preah Kossamak Hospital. His condition has improved,” he said.

The National Police said the fire was likely caused by a leak from a gas container.

Police said the fire did not spread to nearby houses because of timely intervention from local authorities and the Phnom Penh Municipal Police Fire Department.

Police said 19 fire trucks with 120 cubic metres of water were used to put out the fire.

The National Police’s Fire Prevention Department director Neth Vantha told The Post on Wednesday that 77 fires had occurred in January, killing five people and destroying 72 houses and 27 stalls.

Vantha said 40 per cent of the fires were caused by electrical faults and 39 per cent by carelessness. The rest are still under investigation.