By LAWI WENG Irrawaddy News
About 1000 buildings, including homes, schools and marketplaces were destroyed when a fire broke out on Thursday afternoon in Umpiem Mai Refugee Camp at the Thai-Burma border. No deaths have been reported.
Eye-witnesses at the camp said the fire broke out at around midday in a house while a family was cooking over a coal fire. The blaze spread quickly around the wooden and bamboo-constructed buildings nearby, affecting Quarters 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, and was not put out until 2:30 pm.
Speaking to The Irrawaddy by phone, Lawi Mon Tamoi, an ethnic Mon refugee living in Quarter 10, said, “More than 1,500 people have been made homeless.
“Many of the refugees were unable to grab their belongings,” he said. “Now they have no clothes and food. They don't know what they will eat or where they will sleep tonight.”
Sin Thee Yar, a school teacher in Umpiem Mai refugee camp, said that every house in Quarters 8 and 9 was destroyed. She said that there were 150 houses in Quarter 8, and 187 houses in Quarter 9.
She estimated that half the homes and buildings in Quarters 6, 7 and 10 were destroyed in the blaze.
She said that one child was taken to hospital after being seriously injured with burns. As the fire broke out during school hours, many parents panicked and rushed to the schoolhouses to rescue their children.
“It was a chaotic scene,” said Lawi Mon Tamoi.
Umpiem Mai refugee camp has more than 15,000 refugees. The camp is one of nine along the Thai-Burmese border, where about 140,000 Burmese refugees live, most of whom are ethnic Karens.
Blaze at Umpiem Mai Refugee Camp (Photo: KIC)
Eye-witnesses at the camp said the fire broke out at around midday in a house while a family was cooking over a coal fire. The blaze spread quickly around the wooden and bamboo-constructed buildings nearby, affecting Quarters 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, and was not put out until 2:30 pm.
Speaking to The Irrawaddy by phone, Lawi Mon Tamoi, an ethnic Mon refugee living in Quarter 10, said, “More than 1,500 people have been made homeless.
“Many of the refugees were unable to grab their belongings,” he said. “Now they have no clothes and food. They don't know what they will eat or where they will sleep tonight.”
Sin Thee Yar, a school teacher in Umpiem Mai refugee camp, said that every house in Quarters 8 and 9 was destroyed. She said that there were 150 houses in Quarter 8, and 187 houses in Quarter 9.
She estimated that half the homes and buildings in Quarters 6, 7 and 10 were destroyed in the blaze.
She said that one child was taken to hospital after being seriously injured with burns. As the fire broke out during school hours, many parents panicked and rushed to the schoolhouses to rescue their children.
“It was a chaotic scene,” said Lawi Mon Tamoi.
Umpiem Mai refugee camp has more than 15,000 refugees. The camp is one of nine along the Thai-Burmese border, where about 140,000 Burmese refugees live, most of whom are ethnic Karens.
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