Cambodia's market blaze costs estimated 1.5 mln USD in damage: official

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) -- A fire swept through the Old Market in the Cambodian capital city Monday morning, costing an estimated 1.5 million U.S. dollars in damage to 229 stalls, a local official said.

"It is initially estimated that the blaze costs 1.5 million U.S. dollars in damage to goods in 229 stalls out of the market's 914 stalls," Kuoch Chamroeun, governor of Phnom Penh's Duan Penh district, where the market is located, said in an assessment meeting in the afternoon.

Khuong Sreng, deputy governor of Phnom Penh Municipality, said the fire broke out at around 7:30 a.m. local time from the central area of the iron-zinc roofed market and the flame was completely extinguished within two hours.

There has been no report of human casualties.

The city government said in a statement after the accident that the fire was caused by an electric fault and denied rumors of arson.

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