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(22 Aug 1995) Natural Sound One of Cambodia's most infamous red light districts has been burned down. A faulty air conditioning unit in a brothel led to a fire that has left thousands homeless after flames swept through the slum district of Svay Pak in Phnom Penh. Almost 300 homes were burned to the ground in just two hours. The fire swept through the shanty town, claimed no lives, but has left thousands without shelter. Police say up to 70 of the buildings were brothels. Many prostitutes and their children are among the homeless. Several aid agencies had long complained about the site providing very young children for the sex industry. Today only ashes remain of the Medicins Sans Frontiers funded sexually transmitted disease centre. The project hoped to control the spread of AIDs. Hundreds now sieve through the remains in search of valuables and salvageable essentials. Phnom Penh officials have called on the Red Cross to assist the homeless. A general appeal is also being made to foreign aid agencies in Cambodia. Eager not to spend another night without shelter in the monsoon rain some have already started building on the ashes. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/1ae61e413f651327613756399e395ea1