A fire broke out near the That Luang Lake in the Xaysettha District, Vientiane Capital earlier on Thursday.
Emergency services were dispatched to the scene and attempted to extinguish the fire at around 1:00 p.m.
Volunteers who responded to the incident speculated that some locals might have attempted to clear the area by burning the trees. They fled the scene when the fire got out of control and started spreading to surrounding areas.
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The actual cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed by authorities, but the blaze has been extinguished, leaving clouds of toxic smoke still emerging from the marsh.
Emergency service volunteers reported that there were two fire incidents in Vientiane today, with the first one occurring near Dochanh Beach.
Eyewitnesses say that the fire is likely to have started in the early morning before it was spotted by the residents nearby.
Authorities in Vientiane have not yet released further information regarding the incident.
