Day of sorrow: Family killed in house fire, while blaze wrecks Takhmao market

May 11, 2021 / Khmer Times 

Five people, including four children and a pregnant woman, died in a house fire on Sunday night in Kampong Chhnang province’s Doeu Chrey village. Deputy police chief of Boribor district Tith Saroun told Khmer Times that the fire was brought under control after an hour  of battling the raging flames.

The fire started at about  8.30pm and was completely extinguished around 9.30pm.

The house belonged to Non Sareth,35,and his wife Sean Sokchea, who is in her thirties.

A pregnant mother and four children were killed in the fire which also gutted the entire house.

Deputy Police Chief  of Kampong Chhnang province, Ear Buthoeun told Khmer Times he cannot comment on the case as investigations were still in progress.

“A fire that claimed the lives of up to five people in a family is unprecedented for Kampong Chhnang,” he said.

According to local residents, the victim’s house was made of steel pillars with galvanized walls and a roof, therefore if there was a short circuit, the family would have been electrocuted and could not have been able to escape the fire.

“We will conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire as well as do a post-mortem on all those who died in the fire,” Buthoeun said.

The district police used three fire trucks to put out the fire.

Meanwhile, there was a fire at Takhmao market yesterday at 9.30am which damaged 12 motorcycle parts stalls, but no one was injured in the incident.

According to the Fire and Rescue Police Department, this fire was caused due to welding works being done on the roof, and sparks fell on rubber and motorcycle tyres on the ground which started it.

In this operation, the police used eight fire trucks including three fire trucks of the provincial headquarters, three fire trucks of the Fire Prevention Department and two fire trucks of the bodyguard command.