Fire guts five shanties, health post in Rohingya camps

Five shanties and a health service post were destroyed in separate fire incidents in Rohingya camps in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, on Thursday night and Friday morning.

A fire broke out in Block B of the Kutupalong Registered Camp on Thursday night, burning down five shanties. Meanwhile, in the early hours of Friday, a fire engulfed a health service post run by OBAT Helpers Bangladesh in Block D of the Madhurchhara Rohingya Camp, completely destroying the facility.

The incidents were confirmed by Dolar Tripura, officer of the Ukhiya Fire Service Station. He said that the fire in Block B started in the Rohingya shanties on Thursday night and, with the help of the fire service team and local Rohingya residents, was quickly brought under control. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

The fire at the OBAT health centre in Madhurchhara Block D on Friday morning completely destroyed the facility. It took nearly two hours to control the blaze. Thankfully, the fire did not spread to nearby shanties, and no casualties occurred. However, the health centre and its valuable medical supplies were completely lost.

Dr Mahamudul Hasan Siddiqui Rashed, Health Coordinator of OBAT, said the entire health post was destroyed in the sudden fire, and the cause of the fire could not yet be confirmed. The centre provides free health services to Rohingya residents and the local community.

Nur Ahmed, Officer-in-Charge of Ukhiya Police Station, said the two separate fire incidents occurred on Thursday night and Friday morning. He added that, thanks to the combined efforts of the fire service, police, and local residents, the fires were quickly controlled, preventing further damage.