Fire guts 25 establishments at Rohingya camp in Teknaf

At least 25 establishments, including learning centres and accommodation for Chakma and Rohingya people, shops and clinics, were gutted in a fire yesterday that broke out at Puntibuniya Rohingya Camp of Hoaikyang union of Cox's Bazar's Teknaf upazila.

Several people, including a six-year old child, sustained injuries in the incident, reports our Cox's Bazar correspondent quoting locals at the camp.

The fire broke out at an IRC office in West Block of the camp around 2:00pm and spread rapidly to the adjacent establishments in the block, reports our Cox's Bazar correspondent quoting locals at the camp.

The fire gutted six learning centres, seven houses of the Chakma community, nine houses of Rohingya refugees, two shops, and partially damaged 10 more houses of the Rohingyas, they said.

Locals and firefighters later managed to douse the fire an hour later.

Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Saiful Islam confirmed the incident to The Daily Star.

The residents of the damaged houses have been relocated to safety and the victim families were given Tk 1,000 each as compensation. Authorities will rebuild the damaged establishments, the UNO said.

Vigilance of law enforcers at the Rohingya camps have been beefed up, he added.

The cause of the fire and the estimated extent of the damage could not be known immediately.