Pagoda’s dining and residential halls razed to the ground in fire

December 14, 2021/ Khmer Times

A fire happened in a pagoda in one of Mondulkiri’s districts and burned down the dining and residential halls.

The newly built Wat Khemara Ponhearam in La Pak Village, Sre Khtom Commune, Keo Seima District was engulfed in flames on the night of December 13.

A monk who was a witness at the scene said that before the incident, a number of monks of the pagoda were sitting around a table when the electricity went out. Then flames were seen burning in the main teacher’s room.

Immediately, the monks cooperated to put out the flames, but they could not extinguish them.

Police Inspector Heng Oung said that after the incident was reported, a fire truck was sent out to combat the flames but because the material of the hall is made out of wood and the information was reported too late, the hall was completely burned down. However, no one was injured in the blaze.

The Chief Keo Seima District, Hoeun Sokna, immediately sent mats, mosquito nets, blankets, and pillows to the monks.