A devastating fire in a Cambodian casino

Rescuers scoured the charred ruins of a Cambodian hotel and casino complex, warning they expected to find "many more" victims of a deadly fire that forced people to jump from windows.

Hundreds of people are believed to have been inside the Grand Diamond City hotel-casino, located within sight of Poipet town on the Thai border, when the blaze broke out around 11:30 pm local time.

Local authorities and Thai rescue groups put the toll at 19, with hundreds of Cambodian army and police officers, as well as volunteers from Thailand, helping with the search.

Smoke was still occasionally rising from the complex as rescuers prepared to re-enter the gutted buildings at around 7 am.

Many of those injured were taken to Thailand for treatment, with local officials on the Thai side of the border stating more than 50 had been hospitalised, with 13 in critical condition.

The casino is one of many in Poipet, a border town popular with Thais who face strict restrictions on gambling within the kingdom.

Thailand's foreign ministry said it was working closely with Cambodian authorities to find and identify Thais involved in the incident and was sending "additional equipment, consular officers and police attache" to Poipet.

While Cambodians themselves are unable to gamble, numerous casino-filled hotspots have flourished along the country's borders with Thailand and Vietnam.