Fire razes hundreds of shanties at Balukhali Rohingya camp
At least 2,000 shanties have been gutted in a fire that broke out at Balukhali Rohingya camp in Ukhiya of Cox's Bazar.
Starting at 3pm Sunday at block-B of camp-11, the fire soon spread to camp-9 and 10, said APBn-8 Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Faruque Ahmed.
Ten units of fire fighters from Ukhiya and Teknaf fire stations brought the fire under control at 5.17pm, said Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters media cell.
The presence of cylinders in every shanty made the blaze difficult to control, causing the fire to spread to a vast area, said Ukhiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sheikh Mohammad Ali.
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The origin of the fire could not be confirmed yet, the police officer added.
Residents of the Rohingya camps termed the fire incident as preplanned. They claimed the members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) set fire to the camps.
On 22 March 2021, at least 11 people were killed and more than 500 injured in a massive fire that ripped through the Balukhali refugee camp.
