Nine people were injured, some badly, after a fight broke out between security guards on Koh Pich, in Phnom Penh, and a gang of Chinese nationals on Tuesday night, local police said.

Tonle Bassac Commune Police Chief Sok Sam Uthg said the fight started after a minor traffic accident at 11pm. A group of Chinese nationals were playing in the street when two security guards on a motorbike bumped into one, Sam Uthg said.

When the guards stopped to apologise, they were jumped by the Chinese. Upon seeing them getting beaten, other security guards working in the area joined in.

“As a result of this, a total of nine people from both parties were injured. Of them, one Chinese man and two Cambodians nearly lost consciousness and were sent to Calmette Hospital for treatment,” he said.

A security guard involved in the incident who asked not to be named said police broke up the fight at about 1am on Wednesday.