Thursday, 17 April 2008

Another Fire Destroys Homes in Capital

By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
16 April 2008

Khmer audio aired April 16 (1.07MB) - Download (MP3) Khmer audio aired April 16 (1.07MB) - Listen (MP3)

A Phnom Penh fire destroyed as many as 40 homes Wednesday afternoon, in what officials attributed to faulty wiring.

No one was injured in the blaze, which began around 1 pm in Chamkarmon district and burned for nearly an hour.

The fire is at least the second to take place in a week. A fire April 11 in a Phnom Penh suburb destroyed hundreds of homes after burning for nearly seven hours.

Chamkarmon District Police Chief Uch Sokhon said at least 10 homes were destroyed Wednesday, but Thorng Chorn, commune chief of Psar Damko, where the fire took place, said 44 homes were burned.

“The fire was caused by a problem of electricity in one house whose landlord was not inside,” Uch Sokhon said.

However, home owner Yi Sophal told VOA Khmer she had seen an unidentified man try to set her home on fire around 2:30 am April 12.

She would not say whether she suspected arson this time.

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