Over 300 Karenni refugees have been made homeless after a fire destroyed 71 houses in their camp in Mae Hong Son Province on July 5.
“We believe the fire was caused by negligence. The residents barely managed to escape,” said a committee member at the camp. “No one was injured.”
The families whose homes were destroyed are staying with other residents of the camp have been provided with food and clothes.
“They lost everything they own in the fire. They don’t even have clothes. We have to arrange everything for them. I think they need counseling,” said the committee member.
Saw Mann Saw, chair of the Karenni Refugee Committee, said the committee will meet with donors, Thai authorities and leaders at the camp in order to arrange a swift rebuilding effort.
The Karenni No 1 refugee camp houses 17,045 people.
A similar fire broke out in April 2015, destroying over 100 houses and leaving over 700 people homeless.
Similarly, over 400 houses were destroyed and over 30 refugees were killed in a fire at the Karenni No 2 refugee camp in March 2013.
