NHRN
Kathmandu, March 22: A massive fire broke out at the Bhutanese refugee camps in Goldhaap, Jhapa, on Tuesday, destroying over 500 huts out of the total 739. Some 150 huts were dismantled to bring fire under control.
The fire started at about 7.30 am in the morning from the hut owned by Rabilal Timsina of sector B-2 hut number 18 when he was performing puja, informed camp secretary Chiranjibi Rai.
Six fire brigade vehicles and security personnel took the fire in control in three hours.
The fire has also destroyed the godown of World Food Programme and a health centre run by the Association for Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA) Nepal that provides primary health care to the refugees.
According to secretary Rai, the chief district officer of Jhapa earlier today visited the camp and assured of emergency relief aid. According to him, certain amount of cash would be provided to the owners of the huts destroyed in the fire.
Around 3000 refugees displaced by fire are taking temporary shelter in the camp school and in the nearby forest.
Meanwhile, a second fire that broke out in Sanischare camp of Morang district this afternoon gutted 180 huts. Some 25 huts were dismantled by refugees and security personnel to prevent further damage.
Sanischare camp secretary Champa Singh Rai told Nepalnews that all four sub-sectors of sector B, sub-sector A-5 and C-2 were destroyed by the fire.
"Officials from the UN Refugee Agency, various aid agencies and government representatives visited the camp and assured possible support to the displaced refugees as soon as possible," he said.
The cause of fire that has displaced around 1500 people in Sanischare camp is not yet known.
This is the third major fire in Goldhaap camp which had been totally destroyed by fire twice while Sanischare has witnessed a major mishap like this for the first time.
Sujan Babu Adhikari
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