By Kher Sonang
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer
A group of vendors from Stung Sen Market in Stung Sen city, Kampong Thom province, told RFA at 1AM on Tuesday that the Stung Sen Market suffered an intense blaze which burnt down their merchandise stored in about 160 kiosks.
The exact cause of the blaze is not known yet.
Hok Rin, the governor of Stung Sen city said that a work group gave an initial prognostic on this blaze and indicated that the fire started from an electrical short circuit from faulty wire connection.
Hok Rin said: “I ordered a tally of the cost of the merchandises lost, we are still in the process of counting and we don’t know it yet because the victims reported that they are concerned about the loss of their belongings, [therefore] we can’t do anything yet. We are making our preliminary assessment and we will conduct additional investigations. The main suspect is the short circuit because the electrical wire connections inside the market did not follow the technical procedure.”
Mrs. Heng Ly, a clothe vendor, said that her kiosk was burnt down to the ground and there is nothing left. The victims called on the city and provincial authorities, in particular the market security and the tax collectors to help pay some of the indemnification to the vendors.
Mrs Heng Ly said: “My kiosk was burnt down, not even a single shred is left, because [my kiosk] was so close to the blaze, I cannot take anything out on time. I heard about it after 2AM, when I got there, I couldn’t get in, I saw the intense fire burning down the kiosks. I ask them to help out, at least they should help pay half of the merchandises, then I can get $5,000 back. We pay for the [security] guards every month, and we pay tax every day regardless of whether we make business or not. It’s unacceptable that we pay each month [the security fee], what kind of [security] guarding is this? Why is it burning by itself like this?”
Hok Rin said that the Stung Sen Market is managed by the Stung Sen city following the end of the Chan Doeun management contract one month ago. The vendors indicated that they are looking inside the debris to see if they can salvage any merchandise from the fire, and they are also fixing their kiosks so they can restart their business again.
The exact cause of the blaze is not known yet.
Hok Rin, the governor of Stung Sen city said that a work group gave an initial prognostic on this blaze and indicated that the fire started from an electrical short circuit from faulty wire connection.
Hok Rin said: “I ordered a tally of the cost of the merchandises lost, we are still in the process of counting and we don’t know it yet because the victims reported that they are concerned about the loss of their belongings, [therefore] we can’t do anything yet. We are making our preliminary assessment and we will conduct additional investigations. The main suspect is the short circuit because the electrical wire connections inside the market did not follow the technical procedure.”
Mrs. Heng Ly, a clothe vendor, said that her kiosk was burnt down to the ground and there is nothing left. The victims called on the city and provincial authorities, in particular the market security and the tax collectors to help pay some of the indemnification to the vendors.
Mrs Heng Ly said: “My kiosk was burnt down, not even a single shred is left, because [my kiosk] was so close to the blaze, I cannot take anything out on time. I heard about it after 2AM, when I got there, I couldn’t get in, I saw the intense fire burning down the kiosks. I ask them to help out, at least they should help pay half of the merchandises, then I can get $5,000 back. We pay for the [security] guards every month, and we pay tax every day regardless of whether we make business or not. It’s unacceptable that we pay each month [the security fee], what kind of [security] guarding is this? Why is it burning by itself like this?”
Hok Rin said that the Stung Sen Market is managed by the Stung Sen city following the end of the Chan Doeun management contract one month ago. The vendors indicated that they are looking inside the debris to see if they can salvage any merchandise from the fire, and they are also fixing their kiosks so they can restart their business again.
2 comments:
Dot denh youk dey lork ouy yuon.
I beg that the government do something about this. The provincial governor must prove them that they are capable of helping them, otherwise they are not worth ruling the province. Please show some wisdom.
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