Seven people, including three children, were killed as a massive fire ripped through the Balukhali Rohingya camp in Cox's Bazar’s Ukhiya on Monday.
"We have received reports of five people, including three children, being killed in the fire at the Rohingya camp. But I have not seen the bodies yet," said Atiqul Islam, commander of Rohingya camp Armed Police Battalion (APBn) 14.
The fire broke out at Rohingya camp 8 and camp 9 around 4:30 pm on Monday. After trying for five hours, the fire was brought under control around 9:30pm which left over 9,000 shanties, various NGO offices and police barracks gutted.
Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ahmad Nizam Uddin said: "At least 9,000 shanties of Rohingya families and more than 100 shanties of Bangladeshi families have been gutted in the devastating fire in the Rohingya camp.”
“In addition to the fire service, the army and the BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh) also worked tirelessly to bring the fire under control.”
Local UP Chairman Gafur Uddin said: "Thousands of Rohingyas have taken refuge in Balukhali Qasim Mia High School in the wake of the fire. Many relatives of these Rohingyas who have taken refuge are missing."
Ukhiya Fire Service Station Officer Md Emdadul Haque said: “After a long effort, the fire in the Rohingya camp was brought under control. It is difficult to say how much damage was caused by the fire. It should be a lot as more than 1.5-2km of area has been burned down.”
Earlier on Monday night, Cox's Bazar Additional Superintendent of Police Md Rafiqul Islam said: "Seven units of the Fire Service, including the BGB and the army, had to work relentlessly to bring the fire under control.”
Ukhiya's Balukhali Commander of APBn 8 and Superintendent of Police Md Shihab Kaishar said: "The barracks of APBn 4 were partially burnt in the fire. However, weapons and furniture were safely removed. Apart from Rohingya huts, several NGO offices, schools, and madrasas were also gutted in the blaze.”
Abdul Hamid, a Rohingya leader at the camp, said the fire burned at least a thousand shanties, including about 500 shanties under his supervision.
The fire also left Balukhali Balibazar, the biggest local market at the Rohingya camp, in ashes. Products worth at least Tk50 crore were gutted in the fire, the Rohingya leader added.
Locals claimed the fire started from a shack inside camp 8.
However, Ukhiya police station Officer in-Charge (OC) Gazi Salauddin said no credible sources had confirmed how the fire started.
He said Rohingyas at the scene are giving different accounts of the fire and blaming each other.
“We will learn about the real reason after investigation,” the police official said.
According to a situation report by Brac, based on the primary assessment, it is assumed that the fire started from a gas cylinder blast. The power of the blast was so strong that the fire spread within a short period of time. Due to frequent winds, the fire spread rapidly and engulfed its surrounding areas.
The incident site shelters over 122,000 people who are all currently squatting in the nearby open areas.
Shamsud Douza, additional commissioner for Relief and Refugee Repatriation, said: "I have received news of the fire at the camp. We are not sure how much damage was caused by the fire."
International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General Antonio Vitorino expressed concern about the fire.
He said in a tweet: “I am deeply concerned by the impact of a terrible fire today in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees are affected. IOM teams and partners are working together to respond to the crisis and ensure the safety and well-being of all.”
Unicef has expressed its deepest sympathy to the Rohingyas affected by Monday's fire in the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar.
“Unicef and our partners are on the ground addressing the immediate and urgent needs of children and families. Unicef has mobilized health teams for first aid support as well as volunteers to evacuate refugees from their shelters," said Unicef Representative in Bangladesh Tomoo Hozumi.
Earlier in January, at least 500 makeshift dwellings were gutted in a fire at the Nayapara Rohingya refugee camp in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar.
