‘Smoke everywhere’: survivors of Cambodia casino blaze recount chaotic scenes

 

When Nunthida Kongreung heard a huge fire had broken out at a Cambodian border town casino-hotel, she started calling her parents who were on vacation there, but nobody answered.

When finally someone called back, it was a rescue worker who had found their bodies, slumped against each other in their hotel room on the 17th floor, where they died from smoke inhalation.

Her parents were among at least 27 people who died in the blaze at Grand Diamond City Casino and Hotel, which also injured more than 100 people.At least 20 remain missing.The cause of the fire, which broke out around midnight on Wednesday, is still unknown but officials suspect it may have been due to an electrical short circuit.

“The rescuers said my parents were not burned, but they choked from inhaling smoke.So, if help had come earlier they might have survived,” Nunthida, 36, said at a hospital on the Thai side of the border where many of the dead and injured were taken.