Over 500 shelters burnt in fire at Ukhiya Rohingya camp

A massive fire broke out at the Ukhiya Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar in the early hours of Tuesday, destroying more than 500 shelters and displacing thousands of residents.

The blaze started around 3:00 AM in Block D-4 of Camp 16 in Palongkhali union, reportedly from a BRAC-run learning centre, and quickly spread to adjacent blocks C and D.

Firefighters from Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence, along with community volunteers, battled the flames for nearly three hours before bringing the fire under control at 5:50 AM, according to Fire Service Station Manager Dolar Tripura.

No casualties were reported, but the fire gutted 448 shelters, 10 learning centres, 2 mosques and 1 maktab, leaving over 3,500 Rohingya residents affected. The camp administration confirmed the extent of the damage.

Captain Riaz Uddin Ahmed of 8th Armed Police Battalion said security forces arrived promptly at the scene, coordinating with the fire service to ensure the safety of affected residents. Displaced families were relocated to safer areas.

This is not the first fire in Ukhiya’s Rohingya camps. On December 26 last year, a blaze destroyed a hospital in Camp 4, while another fire on December 25 damaged over 10 shelters in the Kutupalong registered camp.

Officials are investigating the cause of the fire and assessing relief measures for the displaced residents.

FA/NSA