Village gas station burns to the ground.

khmerhamster · Post by **khmerhamster** » Thu Apr 04, 2024 1:22 pm

Doc67 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 12:01 pm Is it true they demand money from the occupiers before they get to work putting out the fire?

On my first trip to Cambodia I was staying in a guesthouse beside Toul sleng - on the main road nearby there was a fire station. Don't know if it's still there - not often along that way now and haven't noticed it recently.

Anyhow when I was there I was out wandering around when I heard a siren and the doors of the station clattered up. The engine was pulling out and all the firemen were running to the fire engine. Except for 2 guys who had a badminton net strung up across the forecourt. They finished their point with the sirens blazing and the engine full then they took down the net, rolled it up(!!!)then ambled across to the engine and climbed up.

I stood watching in amazement, the lack of urgency was staggering. Completely at odds to my experience in a family with several reservist firemen as uncles. When their pagers went off, about a minute before the town siren these guys would have ran through a wall to get out of the house to get to their cars to get on the way to the fire station.

Not in Cambodia - they finish the point first.

Spigzy · Post by **Spigzy** » Thu Apr 04, 2024 1:28 pm

If you start walking away the price comes down very quickly though.

John Bingham · Post by **John Bingham** » Thu Apr 04, 2024 1:51 pm

Doc67 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 12:01 pm Is it true they demand money from the occupiers before they get to work putting out the fire?

They certainly used to. I was going north on a bike on NR6 about 2010 towards Prek Leap. It was Khmer New Year so the roads were very quiet. There was a row of big wooden houses along the road and one was ablaze. I stopped to have a look. The residents were going crazy trying to rescue belongings but it was getting desperate. A fire engine arrived, but after a brief attempt at extortion, it drove away. The residents were very angry. It was actually reported in the papers afterwards.

Doc67 · Post by **Doc67** » Thu Apr 04, 2024 1:54 pm

Spigzy wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 1:28 pm If you start walking away the price comes down very quickly though.

Ah, the joys of renting a fully furnished place!! I have my 'go bag' with passports and credit cards, plus a change of clothing. It could burn to the ground and all I would lose is some clothing and the contents of the kitchen cupboards and the fridge freezer. An entire replacement wardrobe wouldn't be the worst idea either.

As for the others, I am fairly sure they are all owners, they have been there forever. Finally, the locals can put their hands in their pockets!

Stravaiger · Post by **Stravaiger** » Thu Apr 04, 2024 7:50 pm

Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 12:34 pm
Doc67 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 12:01 pm Is it true they demand money from the occupiers before they get to work putting out the fire?
Certainly once upon a time that was the case with some units

I saw it happen when a brothel on 63 went up in flames and the owner of the adjacent Traveller's Bar had to bribe them with a case or two of beer. Everything is negotiable.

Ubiquitous phone cameras and social media may have helped to put an end to that.

hanno · Post by **hanno** » Thu Apr 04, 2024 8:34 pm

Yes, money is still demanded (at least it was still the case last year), as I have experienced personally.

John Bingham · Post by **John Bingham** » Thu Apr 04, 2024 10:02 pm

khmerhamster wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 1:22 pm
Doc67 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 12:01 pm Is it true they demand money from the occupiers before they get to work putting out the fire?
On my first trip to Cambodia I was staying in a guesthouse beside Toul sleng - on the main road nearby there was a fire station. Don't know if it's still there - not often along that way now and haven't noticed it recently.

Anyhow when I was there I was out wandering around when I heard a siren and the doors of the station clattered up. The engine was pulling out and all the firemen were running to the fire engine. Except for 2 guys who had a badminton net strung up across the forecourt. They finished their point with the sirens blazing and the engine full then they took down the net, rolled it up(!!!)then ambled across to the engine and climbed up.

I stood watching in amazement, the lack of urgency was staggering. Completely at odds to my experience in a family with several reservist firemen as uncles. When their pagers went off, about a minute before the town siren these guys would have ran through a wall to get out of the house to get to their cars to get on the way to the fire station.

Not in Cambodia - they finish the point first.

That fire station on 360 was gutted out about four years ago, there still seem to be a few firemen there selling extinguishers or something but it's just a fenced off shell, fuck knows what the plan is.

Bongmab69 · Post by **Bongmab69** » Fri Apr 05, 2024 4:54 pm

newkidontheblock wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2024 6:50 pm Last night the local village gas station caught on fire and burned to the ground. Along with the family home in the back.

Local fire truck called in. Then all the fire trucks in Siem Reap city. Supposedly 40 trucks (or 17, numbers unclear.). Multiple explosions with the initial fire. Then the trucks went in spraying water. Fire went out then came recurred. After the all trucks exhausted their water, Battambang city fire department was asked to send their trucks. By that time, everything had burned to the ground.

Supposedly the road leading to the station was heavily damaged and a width guide placed restricting heavy trucks. Unfortunately, the gas tanker was too big to fit and drove through rice fields to bypass the road and get there. Fire started after refueling.

Lots of thoughts.

They asked help from the Battambang departement, curious when they did arrive in Siem Reap ??

newkidontheblock · Post by **newkidontheblock** » Sat Apr 06, 2024 12:17 am

Bongmab69 wrote:
newkidontheblock wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2024 6:50 pm Last night the local village gas station caught on fire and burned to the ground. Along with the family home in the back.

Local fire truck called in. Then all the fire trucks in Siem Reap city. Supposedly 40 trucks (or 17, numbers unclear.). Multiple explosions with the initial fire. Then the trucks went in spraying water. Fire went out then came recurred. After the all trucks exhausted their water, Battambang city fire department was asked to send their trucks. By that time, everything had burned to the ground.

Supposedly the road leading to the station was heavily damaged and a width guide placed restricting heavy trucks. Unfortunately, the gas tanker was too big to fit and drove through rice fields to bypass the road and get there. Fire started after refueling.

Lots of thoughts.
They asked help from the Battambang departement, curious when they did arrive in Siem Reap ??

After everything already burned to the ground, of course.

Many things about this just make me shake my head in wonder about the Kingdom of Wonder.

Village gas station burns to the ground.

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Re: Village gas station burns to the ground.

Re: Village gas station burns to the ground.

Re: Village gas station burns to the ground.

Re: Village gas station burns to the ground.

Re: Village gas station burns to the ground.

Re: Village gas station burns to the ground.

Re: Village gas station burns to the ground.

Re: Village gas station burns to the ground.

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