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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 30 december 2022

Massive fire at Cambodia hotel casino kills at least 19

By HENG SINITH and SO- ity, causing wires to over-
PHENG CHEANG heat and burn, Sek Sokhom
Associated Press said.
POIPET, Cambodia (AP) — The dead and injured com-
A massive fire at a Cambo- prised people of several
dian hotel casino Thursday nationalities, including Thai,
injured over 60 people and Chinese, Malaysian, Viet-
killed at least 19 — a num- namese and Cambodian,
ber that officials warned he said.
would rise after the search A local Buddhist temple
for bodies resumes Friday. was being used to receive
The blaze, which started their bodies.
around midnight Wednes- The Grand Diamond City
day, was put out over 12 casino complex has 500
hours later at 2 p.m. Thurs- employees, and had 1,000
day, said Sek Sokhom, customers Wednesday, ac-
head of Banteay Mean- cording to a report from
chey province’s informa- Soth Kimkolmony, a spokes-
tion department. He said person for Cambodia’s
more than 60 people were National Committee for Di-
injured and the death toll saster Management. It was
was expected to rise once unclear how many were
rescuers are able to access present when the fire broke
victims who were believed out.
to still be under debris or in “Right now, we are trying to
locked rooms. bring the dead bodies from
Videos posted on social In this photo provided by Cambodia’s Fresh News, a building burns near a Cambodia-Thai the building down. I don’t
media showed people fall- international border gate in Poipet, west of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday Dec. 29, 2022. think there will be any sur-

Associated Press
ing from a roof after they vivors because of very thick
were trapped by the fire at video showed at least one and even a mobile phone’s customers and staff, were smoke.
the Grand Diamond City person falling as the flames flashlight were seen waving from neighboring Thailand, Even we all (the rescue
casino and hotel in the reached the roof. from windows inside the which sent firetrucks and staff) have to wear proper
town of Poipet. “Oh, please help rescue complex. emergency workers Thurs- gear when we go inside
In a video posted by Cam- them. Pump water, pump “The fire was massive, and day to help cope with the the building, otherwise we
bodia’s firefighting agency, water!” shouted onlookers. was inside the casino, so it crisis in the bustling border cannot breathe at all,” said
a crowd could be heard The Department of Fire Pre- was difficult for our water town. Montri Khaosa-ard, a staff
shouting pleas to rescue vention, Extinguishing and cannons to reach it,” said An initial investigation member of Thailand Ru-
people trapped on the roof Rescue said it heard calls a firefighter in the video found that the fire may amkatanyu Foundation, a
of the hotel complex, which for help at 4 a.m. emanat- posted online by the fire have been caused New social welfare organization
is more than a dozen stories ing from rooms on the 13th, department. Year’s holiday decorations that sends volunteers to di-
tall at its highest point. The 14th and 15th floors. Hands Many of those inside, both drawing too much electric- saster scenes.q

Philippines’ Marcos seeks agreements in China amid tensions

MANILA, Philippines (AP) counts for 20% of the Philip- eign direct investment. edly feuded over China’s South China Sea. Vietnam,
— The Philippines says Presi- pines’ foreign trade and is Despite those economic claims to islands and wa- Malaysia, Brunei and Tai-
dent Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also a major source of for- ties, the sides have repeat- ters in the strategically key wan also claim all or parts
hopes to sign a number of South China Sea, referred of the sea.
agreements during a visit to by Manila as the West China has rejected the
to Beijing next week that Philippine Sea. During the 2016 decision by an arbi-
comes amid ongoing ter- visit, the sides plan to sign tration tribunal set up in
ritorial disputes in the South an agreement to boost The Hague under the U.N.
China Sea. communication between Convention on the Law of
A statement from the Phil- diplomats at various levels the Sea after the Philippine
ippines Department of For- to “avoid miscalculations” government complained
eign Affairs on Thursday over such issues, Depart- about China’s increasingly
said a number of projects ment of Foreign Affairs As- aggressive actions.
were under discussion, in- sistant Secretary for Asian Those include China’s turn-
cluding in agriculture, re- and Pacific Affairs Nathan- ing seven disputed reefs
newable energy, nickel iel Imperial was quoted as into missile-protected is-
processing, tourism and saying in the statement. lands in the disputed wa-
bridge construction. China says it owns virtu- ters. Philippines treaty part-
Marcos is due to meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrives to attend arrives ally the entire waterway, ner the U.S. says the de-
Chinese leader Xi Jinping to attend the APEC Leader’s Informal Dialogue with Guests despite a 2016 arbitration veloped islands, including
during his Jan. 3-5 visit at during the APEC summit in Bangkok, Thailand, on Nov. 18, 2022. ruling that invalidated Bei- three with military-grade
the head of a large busi- Associated Press jing’s vast territorial claims runways, now resemble for-
ness delegation. China ac- on historical grounds in the ward military bases.q