Australian Man, 32, and Four Cambodian Locals Die in a Hip Hop Club Fire

Loop1 · #1 ● 05-12-2020, 01:27 PM

An Australian man is one of five people who died following a fire at a nightclub in Cambodia's northwestern tourist hotspot of Siem Reap.

T.R., 32, was killed when a blaze broke out at a Hip Hop nightclub at about 3:00 am local time on Tuesday, November 18, 2014, due to an electrical fault.

Provincial police chief S.N. said the club had no windows and just one door, making it impossible for the victims to escape.

Three Cambodian women and a local man also died in the blaze, police said.

T.R. worked with disabled children in Sydney and had been traveling through southeast Asia for a few weeks.

His family took to Facebook in the hours after his death to post heartfelt tributes.

“He was an ever kind, sweet, loving and patient man, and talking to him in recent weeks it was clear that these traits had only deepened with all that he had seen and experienced,” his sister E.R. said.

“We as a family are all grieving, but we are still completely shocked and finding it hard to believe that our boy could be gone.”

“Tonight my family's world was shattered in a way that we all dread more than anything else.”

T.R. spent 10 days with his uncle J.R. in Cambodia's capital city, Phnom Penh, prior to his death.

“It is true, alas. T.R. is no longer with us – other than in our hearts and our memories,” he wrote.

“T.R. died last night in a fire in a nightclub in Siem Reap. I find it very difficult, less than 24 hours after T.R.’s death, to use the past tense, but T.R. was a sweet, gentle, kind, loving and generous young man.”

His shyness “hid a gold mine of generosity," he said.

“T.R. revealed this aspect of himself to me recently in Phnom Penh when he came with me to visit a very poor community and was so moved by their plight that he was thinking about what he could do to help alleviate the worst aspects of the poverty these people experienced.”

T.R.’s uncle, J.R., is an award-winning Australian filmmaker and actor. His 1993 film Blackfellas starred Ernie Dingo and earned him two AFI awards for best director and adapted screenplay.

Police have notified the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh and are continuing to investigate.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing consular assistance to T.R’s family.

Loop1 · #2 ● 05-12-2020, 01:43 PM

Follow up article:

The grieving family of a “cheeky” and “kind-hearted” Sydney man killed in a Cambodian nightclub fire is calling on the Australian Government to conduct a full investigation into the blaze.

T.R.’s mother N.B. and sister E.R. were left shocked and disappointed this week after local media reported Cambodian police would not take any action over the blaze, despite finding it was likely caused by poorly installed electrical wiring.

Local media also reported it was the fourth devastating blaze in as many years in the popular tourist spot, with many businesses operating without adequate safety measures.

N.B. said although the family had been offered a “small amount” of compensation, she wanted to ensure other families did not suffer the same fate.

“We’d really like to see the standards changed, to actually ensure it can’t happen again,” she said.

“He was just doing something all kids do when they’re overseas.

“It could be someone else’s child going overseas and not coming back.”

The 32-year-old care worker, from Narrabeen, died at Hip Hop nightclub in Cambodia’s northwestern tourist hub of Siem Reap.

T.R. and four Cambodians — three women and a man — reportedly succumbed to smoke inhalation after becoming trapped inside.

His grieving mother recalled how “happy and excited” he was about helping the Cambodian people the last time she spoke to him on Skype, just hours before the fatal fire.

“He was introduced to people in Cambodia who really touched his heart and he started formulating plans to help them,” she said.

“He said to me that something had to be done, that people can’t live like that.”

“The last time we talked he was just really excited about helping people.”

T.R. grew up in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where he attended Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School in Middle Cove.

N.B. said he had planned to return to Sydney shortly before Christmas and spend time raising money for the Cambodian people before going back to Siem Reap to volunteer.

She said he had decided to take the trip, which included three months in Vietnam before travelling to Cambodia, after finally recovering from a near-fatal motorbike accident seven years ago.

“We were given the ultimate gift. we were given seven more years with T.R. in our lives,” she said.

“I was worried about him getting on a motorbike again... not about a bar fire.”

His younger sister E.R. described her brother as “ cheeky” and “very warm”.

“He had this warmth and compassion that drew people in, once you got past the shy exterior,” she said.

“The last time I spoke to him ... he was really excited that he’d worked out what he wanted to do with his life.”

A Foreign Affairs and Trade Department spokesman confirmed Cambodian police had “concluded” their investigation into the fire.

“Australian consular officials are continuing to provide consular assistance to the family of a man who was tragically killed in a nightclub fire in Siem Reap,” the spokesman said.

“We are aware that Cambodian authorities have concluded their investigation into the nightclub fire and the matter has been referred to the Siem Reap Provincial Court for further investigation.”

T.R.’s family have since partnered up with the Tabitah Foundation to help make T.R.’s dream come true by raising money to help Cambodians struggling in Siem Reap.

E.R. said once enough money was raised, she planned to visit Siem Reap to help carry-out the work in her brother’s memory.

Yoloman · #3 ● 05-12-2020, 04:13 PM

I've been in some scared jam packed Thai dance places at 3 am ... it just wasn't my turn to die those nights. He pulled the handle and his number came up in the window.

soja · #4 ● 05-12-2020, 04:16 PM

wow, great collection of information and media.

fire death is probably one of the scariest, if not worst death there is.

K53 · #5 ● 05-12-2020, 07:02 PM

Sadly, Cambodia is no longer a safe destination for western tourists

imbok · #6 ● 05-13-2020, 01:09 PM

What a terrible way to go, very sad for all involved. During my international travels, I've always been very careful about these kinds of hazards, you never know what kind of structure you might find yourself in and what kind of condition they might be in. Be careful and be aware out there.