Fire in Karenni refugee camp, 300 homeless

Tuesday, 23 March 2010 20:50 Khaing Suu

New Delhi (Mizzima) - A fire gutted over 60 houses in the Karenni refugee camp No.1 yesterday midnight in Mae Hong Son district, Northern Thailand along the border with Burma rendering 300 people homeless.

The fire started at about 12:30 a.m. and destroyed over 60 homes made of wood, bamboo and plastic within half an hour.

Aung Maung, temporary president of the refugee camp told Mizzima the fire started from a candle. Fortunately no one was killed except a few domesticated animals. He had no idea of the extent of loss.

There are more than 3,200 huts and more than 14,000 people live in this refugee camp in 40 blocks. The fire occurred in block No.4 and was extinguished by the refugees.

"We usually warn our people to be careful of fires over loudspeakers as summer is approaching. The fire started at about 12:30 a.m. As the houses are built of wood and bamboo and are close to each other all of them were destroyed within half an hour. Fortunately the school was spared," Aung Maung added.

Next morning, the Thai authorities arranged for a cleanup and provided Ma-Ma noodle packs to the fire victims. Lunch was also provided to camp inmates.

Now the victims are staying with their relatives and in a nursery school. The refugee camp committee said it will help them rebuild the houses.

According to the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) a volunteer organization working to help refugees and displaced villagers along the Thai-Burma border, there are a total of 140,000 Burmese refugees in nine camps located along the border, as of October last year.