A volunteer firefighter was seriously injured while trying to put out a fire at an electrical equipment warehouse in Tuol Tompuong I commune of the capital’s Chakarmon district on June 9, according to the National Police.

The fire broke out on the afternoon of June 9 and completely destroyed all of the electrical equipment in the warehouse. The injured man was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Prum Yorn, director of the Phnom Penh Municipal Department of Fire Prevention, Extinguishing and Rescue, said that once the fire broke out he ordered all of the fire stations under his authority to get to the scene and extinguish it.

He said that, unfortunately, it was difficult for the rescue team to put out the fire as the road leading to the warehouse was small and the fire spread quickly and destroyed its roof, so they could only prevent the fire from spreading to the neighbouring houses.

According to Yorn, the fire was completely extinguished by 10pm with a total of 452 cubic metres of water used on the blaze.

He said the 375 square metre warehouse was a complete loss and the cause of the fire is being investigated.