Scene of the incident (Photo: JM, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)02 Feb 2009
By N.S. and J.M.
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Tola Ek
A violent fire took place on Monday at about 3PM, in Tuol Sanker commune, Russey Keo district. Although the fire caused major material damages, there was no victim from this incident.
A fire truck with blaring siren entered a narrow street, and it suddenly made a sharp turn to the left to reach a large courtyard. Police cordon prevented the onlookers from coming nearby. Suddenly, a distraught woman tried to cut across the crowd. Following a quick discussion with a police officer, she was allowed to cross the police cordon. Some dozen meters down, she witnessed in despair a scene of desolation: burnt tin iron roof, fallen walls, rubble… A thick smoke filled the air. Thirty houses, including the one which the woman used to live, went up in smoke following the fire. The fire started at about 3PM in Deum Khvet village. Firemen were on the spot about 15 minutes later, however, difficult road access hamper their work, and the fire trucks could not bring in enough water. A dozen of fire trucks were taking turn to put down the fire. It took 40 firefighters, 24 truckloads of water, and 1 hour and a half of work to put down the fire. “We couldn’t be efficient right away. We don’t have much room to move. The fire rages on, and our equipment was not suited either,” Dy Eav, the deputy fire chief, said with regret. Fortunately, an empty lot is located next to the fire, and acted as a barrier for the fire. Finally, the firemen were able to work close to the fire.
About thirty homes were destroyed, they were rented out to factory workers. There were no death and no serious injuries. Several people were nevertheless affected by smoke inhalation and were transported to the hospital in emergency. While the cause the fire remains unknown, Dy Eav suspects that it could be caused by human negligence: electrical short circuit or kitchen fire. Soy Kosal, the commune chief, explained that tents and cooking utensils will be distributed to the victims of the fire. He assured that the later will be housed on the same spot. Nevertheless, he did not provide any detail about any emergency relief. Those who lost all their belongings can only count on the solidarity of their neighbors or they have to find a place in a pagoda to stay temporarily.
Ung Sary can only cry as she lost everything. She lived in a small house with her husband and a sister. “The fire took everything. I couldn’t save anything, not even my $500 saving hidden inside a book.”
A few meters away, workers from an electrical company felt some relief, the fire did not reach their housing, otherwise, the situation would have been much worse.
A fire truck with blaring siren entered a narrow street, and it suddenly made a sharp turn to the left to reach a large courtyard. Police cordon prevented the onlookers from coming nearby. Suddenly, a distraught woman tried to cut across the crowd. Following a quick discussion with a police officer, she was allowed to cross the police cordon. Some dozen meters down, she witnessed in despair a scene of desolation: burnt tin iron roof, fallen walls, rubble… A thick smoke filled the air. Thirty houses, including the one which the woman used to live, went up in smoke following the fire. The fire started at about 3PM in Deum Khvet village. Firemen were on the spot about 15 minutes later, however, difficult road access hamper their work, and the fire trucks could not bring in enough water. A dozen of fire trucks were taking turn to put down the fire. It took 40 firefighters, 24 truckloads of water, and 1 hour and a half of work to put down the fire. “We couldn’t be efficient right away. We don’t have much room to move. The fire rages on, and our equipment was not suited either,” Dy Eav, the deputy fire chief, said with regret. Fortunately, an empty lot is located next to the fire, and acted as a barrier for the fire. Finally, the firemen were able to work close to the fire.
About thirty homes were destroyed, they were rented out to factory workers. There were no death and no serious injuries. Several people were nevertheless affected by smoke inhalation and were transported to the hospital in emergency. While the cause the fire remains unknown, Dy Eav suspects that it could be caused by human negligence: electrical short circuit or kitchen fire. Soy Kosal, the commune chief, explained that tents and cooking utensils will be distributed to the victims of the fire. He assured that the later will be housed on the same spot. Nevertheless, he did not provide any detail about any emergency relief. Those who lost all their belongings can only count on the solidarity of their neighbors or they have to find a place in a pagoda to stay temporarily.
Ung Sary can only cry as she lost everything. She lived in a small house with her husband and a sister. “The fire took everything. I couldn’t save anything, not even my $500 saving hidden inside a book.”
A few meters away, workers from an electrical company felt some relief, the fire did not reach their housing, otherwise, the situation would have been much worse.
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