Poipet casino hotel fire
| Date | 28 December 2022 (2022-12-28) |
|---|---|
| Time | 11:30 pm (ICT, UTC+07:00) |
| Location | Poipet, Cambodia |
| Cause | (preliminary) Overheated wires caused by New Year's Day decorations |
| Deaths | 27 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 112 |
On 28 December 2022, a fire at a casino hotel in Poipet, Cambodia, killed at least 27 people.
Background
Poipet is a border town in Banteay Meanchey Province, Cambodia which is about 200 m (660 ft) from the Thai border, just opposite of the Thai city of Aranyaprathet. Under Cambodian law gambling is prohibited for citizens, but is allowed for foreigners. Because most types of gambling are also illegal in Thailand, Poipet is popular with Thai gamblers. The Grand Diamond City is a casino hotel which backs onto the Thai border. The business employs 400 staff. The casino was owned by fugitive Thai politician Vatana Asavahame, aged 86 at the time of the fire, who was sentenced in absentia to three years in jail for land-procurement fraud.
Fire
At 23:30 on 28 December 2022, a fire broke out in the Grand Diamond City when hundreds of people were in the building. At least 27 people were killed (most of them as a result of smoke inhalation or falling) and 112 others were injured. Seventeen of the dead were Thai nationals, and one each were Nepalese, Malaysian, and Chinese. At least 27 of the injured were treated in hospitals.