Arakan News Agency
A sudden fire broke out at around 12:59 a.m. on Tuesday in Camp-19, Block C-7, in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, causing damage to the Multiple Purpose Child and Adolescent Center (MPCAC) operated by Save the Children. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
Local residents said the flames spread rapidly inside the center, resulting in serious damage to the structure and its contents. No children were present at the facility at the time of the incident, as it occurred late at night, preventing any casualties or injuries.
According to local sources, volunteers and camp residents rushed to the scene and attempted to extinguish the fire before fire service teams arrived and brought the situation under control, preventing the flames from spreading to nearby shelters and facilities.
The MPCAC is considered a vital facility within the camp, providing safe spaces, educational activities, and psychosocial support for Rohingya children and adolescents. Damage to the center has raised widespread concern among parents and community members about the impact on services for vulnerable groups.
Authorities and humanitarian organizations are expected to conduct assessments to determine the extent of the damage and take the necessary steps to rehabilitate the center and resume its activities.
Cox’s Bazar refugee camps are among the most densely populated in the world, hosting more than one million Rohingya refugees living in temporary shelters made of bamboo and plastic sheets that are highly vulnerable to fire.
In recent years, the camps have witnessed repeated fires, often caused by unsafe electrical connections, cooking stoves, or harsh weather conditions, leading to significant losses of shelters and essential facilities and further worsening the already fragile humanitarian situation, particularly for women and children.
