Just another night in Phnom Penh

Rhoel · Post by **Rhoel** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:03 am

Was awoken last night by the sound of fire trucks racing past my house - checked out the window to see this.

From that distance it looked like a warehouse fire, so I grabbed the camera and leaping into a tuk-tuk with the command of 'follow that firetruck!' I arrived at the scene to discover it wasn't a commercial burnout but a collection of houses tucked in behind office-shops and other permanent housing.

The fire was fast and furious, leveling the houses to ground level in less than ten minutes. I used caution when approaching the scene since I had no idea what the reaction of the community was going to be. To my surprise, they encouraged me to go closer into what was once their modest wooden houses - they wanted people to see what had happened.

I have no information on casualties - there was an ambulance standing by but it had no customers: A good or bad sign, I don't know. What is for certain is the inhabitants of the 30+ houses consumed in the inferno, they lost everything. Not such a Happy Asia New Year for them.

Here are the rest.

Probably the saddest picture of the night- this woman just stood staring at what had been her home, oblivious to all else.

Microseconds after taking this image, I was hit in the back of the head by a stray fire hose jet - the firemen were behind us: We stood literally on the burning edge... and I can assure you it was damn hot, with fire on all three sides.

this is all that is left of "main street", the single one vehicle wide dirt track road that lead between the houses. It explains why the fire spread so quickly, jumping the gap in an instant.

Rhoel

jahnocli · Post by **jahnocli** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:04 am

Wow -- that is dramatic.

synthsin75 · Post by **synthsin75** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:27 pm

Powerful images.

Striking contrast. The first pic of the firemen could come from almost any country, but then you see the next picture and all the corrugated metal about.

But loss is loss in any language. Hope they recover well.

dueyftw · Post by **dueyftw** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:36 pm

I hope they recover.

Dale

Rhoel · Post by **Rhoel** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:17 pm

These fires sadly are far too common - some are accidental, others the tool of property developers who want to move shanty towns inhabitants out: deliberate fire happens to old markets too

This is another fire near my house - I miss-read this one as being the local tip on fire and went back to bed (hey, it was only 08:00). Turned out to be 12 house razed and 27 cars reduced to their shells. Great news appraisal by someone who used to work network news

Rhoel

synthsin75 · Post by **synthsin75** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:50 pm

It's a shame that, largely, we don't believe people can be developed as easily as property. You know, I'd bet people are more profitable.

Rhoel · Post by **Rhoel** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 3:50 pm

The story has now made it into the local national press - seems it was arson after all. And sadly, a 4 year old girl died in the blaze. The whole thing was much bigger than I first thought - difficult to gauge in the dark and when you cannot get to all the site.

the story is here Massive fire sparks suspicions in capital

Rhoel.