A devastating fire broke out at a Rohingya camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, in the early hours of Tuesday, destroying nearly 500 shelters, according to preliminary estimates.
The fire started around 3:00 am on Tuesday (20 January) at Camp 16, located in the Shafiullah Kata area of Palongkhali union in Ukhiya upazila.
Local residents and fire service sources said the blaze first broke out at a learning centre operated by the NGO BRAC in Block D-4 of Camp 16. The fire then spread rapidly to adjacent sheds and residential shelters.
Dollar Tripura, an official of the Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence Station, told Cox’s Bazar Life that the fire originated in Block 4 and quickly spread to Blocks 1, 2, and 3. Upon receiving the alert, 10 fire service units rushed to the scene, of which 8 actively participated in firefighting operations. Around 5:40 am, they managed to bring the blaze under control.
He said the exact extent of the damage was yet to be determined, but initial assessments suggest that at least 500 shelters were gutted by the fire. No casualties were reported.
The incident comes amid a series of recent fires at Rohingya camps. On December 26, a fire destroyed a hospital at Camp 4, while more than 10 shelters were damaged in another blaze at the Kutupalong registered camp on the night of December 25.
By Abdu Rashid Manik
Photo: Collected
