Fire Destroys Over 450 Shelters, 10 Schools at Ukhiya Rohingya Camp
The Chronify
A massive pre-dawn fire tore through Rohingya Camp No 16 in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, destroying hundreds of shelters and key community facilities. The blaze triggered panic as it spread rapidly through densely packed housing.
A devastating fire swept through Rohingya Camp No 16 in Ukhiya, under Cox’s Bazar, in the early hours of Tuesday, destroying 448 shelters, 10 schools, two mosques, and one madrasa, according to local authorities and community leaders.
The fire broke out around 3:45am at the D-4 block of the camp, located in the Shafiullah Kata area of Palongkhali Union. Preliminary findings indicate that a camp resident, Mohammad Anis, had heated water on a gas stove around 2:45am and later fell asleep. The stove reportedly remained on, the water evaporated, and flames erupted, quickly spreading to nearby shelters made of highly flammable materials.
As the incident occurred late at night, residents were caught off guard. Strong winds and tightly clustered shelters caused the fire to spread rapidly, creating widespread panic among Rohingya families, many of whom fled with little more than the clothes they were wearing.
Two units from the Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence rushed to the scene shortly after the fire was reported. Firefighters, supported by Rohingya volunteer teams, battled the blaze for nearly two hours before bringing it under control around 5:30am.
Ukhiya Fire Service Station Officer Dollar Tripura confirmed that prompt response and volunteer assistance helped prevent the fire from spreading further into adjacent camp blocks. No casualties were reported, though hundreds of families have been left homeless.
Community leader Mohammad Riaz of Camp 16’s D block said the damage was extensive and described the loss of schools and religious institutions as a severe blow to the already vulnerable camp population. “Everything was reduced to ashes within a short time,” he said.
Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rifat Asma also confirmed the incident, adding that authorities have begun assessing the total losses and are coordinating with humanitarian agencies to provide emergency shelter and assistance to affected families.
The fire adds to a series of recent incidents in the Rohingya camps. On December 26, a major blaze in Camp No 4 destroyed a hospital, while another fire on December 25 damaged more than ten houses in the Kutupalong registered camp, highlighting ongoing fire risks in the overcrowded settlements.
The fire broke out around 3:45am at the D-4 block of the camp, located in the Shafiullah Kata area of Palongkhali Union. Preliminary findings indicate that a camp resident, Mohammad Anis, had heated water on a gas stove around 2:45am and later fell asleep. The stove reportedly remained on, the water evaporated, and flames erupted, quickly spreading to nearby shelters made of highly flammable materials.
As the incident occurred late at night, residents were caught off guard. Strong winds and tightly clustered shelters caused the fire to spread rapidly, creating widespread panic among Rohingya families, many of whom fled with little more than the clothes they were wearing.
Two units from the Ukhiya Fire Service and Civil Defence rushed to the scene shortly after the fire was reported. Firefighters, supported by Rohingya volunteer teams, battled the blaze for nearly two hours before bringing it under control around 5:30am.
Ukhiya Fire Service Station Officer Dollar Tripura confirmed that prompt response and volunteer assistance helped prevent the fire from spreading further into adjacent camp blocks. No casualties were reported, though hundreds of families have been left homeless.
Community leader Mohammad Riaz of Camp 16’s D block said the damage was extensive and described the loss of schools and religious institutions as a severe blow to the already vulnerable camp population. “Everything was reduced to ashes within a short time,” he said.
Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Rifat Asma also confirmed the incident, adding that authorities have begun assessing the total losses and are coordinating with humanitarian agencies to provide emergency shelter and assistance to affected families.
The fire adds to a series of recent incidents in the Rohingya camps. On December 26, a major blaze in Camp No 4 destroyed a hospital, while another fire on December 25 damaged more than ten houses in the Kutupalong registered camp, highlighting ongoing fire risks in the overcrowded settlements.
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