Cambodia casino fire kills 19

At least 19 people were killed and up to 30 were missing after a huge fire tore through a casino-hotel complex in a Cambodian town on the Thai border, officials said yesterday.

About 400 employees and patrons were in the Grand Diamond City casino and hotel in the town of Poipet when the fire broke out around midnight, and up to 30 were still missing.

"The number of deaths may reach more than 20," said Sek Sokhom, head of the Banteay Meanchey provincial information department.

Sixty people had been injured, he said.

Video footage showed the fire under control by Thursday afternoon. A key part of Cambodia's tourism industry, important for its economy, casinos in the capital of Phnom Penh and on the borders with Vietnam and Thailand are a draw for visitors from Asian nations that ban gambling.