Casino blaze at Cambodia-Thailand border kills at least 1, many hospitalised

An overnight fire at a casino complex in a Cambodian border town has killed at least one person, with 32 sent for treatment in hospitals in neighbouring Thailand, a Thai provincial governor said on Thursday. The fire broke out at about midnight on Wednesday at the Grand Diamond City Casino in the town of Poipet, according to a statement by police in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province.

An overnight fire at a casino complex in a Cambodian border town has killed at least one person, with 32 sent for treatment in hospitals in neighbouring Thailand, a Thai provincial governor said on Thursday.

The fire broke out at about midnight on Wednesday at the Grand Diamond City Casino in the town of Poipet, according to a statement by police in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province. They made no mention of casualties. Police said the fire was under control and hundreds of personnel from the military, police and rescue teams had been deployed.

Cambodia's Fresh News reported 10 people had been killed and 30 injured, citing police. Reuters could not verify the information and it was not immediately clear what started the fire. Poipet's casinos are popular with short-term visitors from Thailand, where gambling is illegal and unlicensed casinos operate underground.

Parinya Phothisat, the governor of Sa Kaeo province on the Thai side of the border, told Reuters by phone that 32 Thais were being treated in hospitals there and one had died. He could not confirm whether there were more casualties in Cambodia.

Chhay Kim Khoeun, Cambodian national police spokesperson, declined to comment on casualties and said authorities were still working to put out the fire. Provincial and hospital officials could not immediately be reached. Fresh News showed images of the facade of a casino on Thursday morning blackened by smoke, with fires still burning on the ground floor and charred debris on the pavement outside.

One image showed the fire raging during the night, with flames engulfing multiple parts of the building and smoke billowing out. Casinos are a key part of Cambodia's important tourism industry and a draw for visitors from Asian countries where gambling is banned. Cambodia has casino complexes in Phnom Penh and along its borders with Vietnam and Thailand.