Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
A fire broke out on Friday in Camp No. 7 of the Kutupalong Rohingya refugee settlement, specifically in Block F, according to field sources.
An Arakan News Agency correspondent, quoting eyewitnesses, reported that the fire started at around 3:00 p.m., before firefighting teams and volunteers managed to bring it under control and prevent it from spreading to nearby areas within the camp.
The incident caused no injuries or deaths, while assessments are currently underway to determine the extent of the material damage to shelters and nearby structures.
Fires frequently occur in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh due to high population density and the use of unsafe, highly flammable construction materials, which contribute to the rapid spread of flames and make containment difficult.
Similar incidents have taken place in the past, including a fire in Camp No. 4 last April, which was brought under control following a quick response from the camp’s firefighting team and volunteers, with no injuries reported.
Just days earlier, a massive fire had broken out in Camp No. 22, causing extensive material damage after flames destroyed nine Rohingya-run shops. Another fire in Camp No. 9 last February was caused by a solar battery explosion, partially destroying two shelters.
In January, two separate fires were also reported — one in Camp No. 18, which completely destroyed a shelter and a shop, and another in Camp No. 26, which claimed the life of a young girl and burned down more than 50 shelters, damaging ten others.
More than one million Rohingya refugees currently live in the Cox’s Bazar area of Bangladesh, which the United Nations classifies as the largest refugee camp in the world, following their mass exodus from Arakan State in Myanmar after a systematic campaign of genocide launched by the Myanmar military since 2017.
