Rohingya camp gutted in Okhla, no casualties

NEW DELHI: Loud cries, panic, despair prevailed at Kanchen Kunj near Okhla when a fire broke out at the Rohingya camp on early Sunday and gutted as many as 250 shanties sheltering around 226 refugees.

While most people escaped with their lives intact; all documents, clothes and food were gutted in the fire.

“No one was injured, except for one who received minor burn injuries on his hand. Three cooking gas cylinders also exploded during the rescue operation,” a police officer said.

The fire broke out at the camp at 3am on Sunday when residents were deep in sleep and are not sure how it the camp caught fire. According to fire officials, “We are yet to ascertain the cause of the fire. It began at 3 am. A call was made to the fire control room around 3.15 am and fire tenders were pressed into service. It took almost four hours to douse the fire in the camp where the families reside.”

According to the police, all the homes in the camp were made of asbestos sheets; all of them were gutted. It added that the fire began at the back of the camp where the toilets are located.

According to a resident, “The fire first gutted the homes and turned into a fireball within no time. We could could barely get enough time to get ut belongings. We blindly ran out to save ourselves from being singed. The fire could have spread further to adjoining slums, but fortunately it was controlled by the fire department.”

Several neighbours reached the spot with breakfast and tea. Efforts are underway to gather clothes, provide alternative shelter for women and children and make arrangements for food.  

Forty-six Rohingya families reside in the camp, which is the only Rohingya camp in Delhi.