Thirty homes and market stalls were completely destroyed by a fire in Phsar Chhnang village and commune of Kampong Chhnang town and province on the morning of March 12, according to authorities.

Kampong Chhnang town governor Hing Phav Mina told The Post that 43 families were left homeless with all of their property destroyed when the 27 homes and three market stalls went up in flames.

“The owners of three of the homes were so distraught over their losses that they fainted at the scene and required medical attention,” said Phav Mina, adding that no injuries or deaths were incurred due to the fire.

“According to preliminary investigation, the fire may have been caused by someone smoking fish without the necessary precautions as many villagers in this area are smoked fish sellers. At this time, fire officials are still investigating the case to find out the exact cause,” he said.

Ea Bunthoeun, spokesman for the Kampong Chhnang provincial police, told The Post that the firefighting operation took about three hours and required a total of 10 fire engines. Some bystanders along the river also helped by using their boats to pump water onto the fire.

“At this time we are searching the wreckage and collecting more data from the victim’s families to assess the impact and actual damage incurred and to find out the root cause, whether it was due to the villagers’ carelessness or some other factor,” he said.

According to Bunthoeun, the town authorities has actively educated people about fire prevention to increase their vigilance, especially in the summer.

Authorities, he said, have advised people to purchase and keep fire extinguishers at their homes to be ready for any unexpected blazes.