Shanties, learning centre gutted in Ukhiya Rohingya camp fire

A fire swept through shanties in Kutupalong Rohingya Camp-4 in Ukhiya Friday, burning seven shanties and a learning centre to ashes, reports UNB.

Video and photographs showed black smoke billowing over burning shanties as people scrambled to recover their possessions.

The fire originated from a shanty in Camp-4 at 4:30pm, said Mohammad Noor, a Rohingya leader from Kutupalong camp.

On information, firefighters rushed to the spot and brought the flames under control, said Emdadul Haque, station officer of Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence. "However, the extent of damage could not be confirmed immediately."

Tuesday, a blaze swept through parts of Kutupalong Camp-6, killing a three-year-old boy and leaving about 3,000 people homeless in the sixth fire this year.

The blaze followed a massive fire in January, four smaller fires between January and March.

"The shelters made of dry bamboo and tarpaulin are incredibly flammable. More fire-resistant materials must be permitted and additional openings in the fencing need to be built so that refugees can reach safety in an emergency," Save the Children's country director Onno van Manen said.

"The risk of fires in these densely populated and confined areas is enormous, but it is avoidable with the right support and infrastructure in place."

A devastating fire last March tore through another Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar, killing at least 15 people and destroying more than 10,000 shanties.