Inferno in Karen refugee camp claims 35 lives
The death toll from the inferno, like Bangkok Post the fire in the refugee camp in Khun Yuam (Mae Hong Son) has risen to 37.
Witnesses say they saw embers blown by the wind onto the roof of a hut, causing it to catch fire. The fire then quickly spread through the bamboo huts, many of which had dried grass roofs. About 400 huts were destroyed, as well as shelters for defense volunteers, a school, clinic and two warehouses with food storage. [According to the photo caption, there are XNUMX cabins.]
Investigators think the fire may have started from a forest fire and not because a wall in a kitchen caught fire, as the first reports said.
In addition to the 37 deaths (and not 62, as mentioned earlier in an update on the blog), the fire has claimed about XNUMX minor injuries and XNUMX serious injuries. The deceased Karen was transferred to Maharaj Hospital in Chiang Mai for an autopsy. The Institute of Forensic Medicine at the police hospital is assisting with this.
The fire broke out at about 4 p.m. Friday and was brought under control 2 hours later. A fire truck on its way to the camp ran off a mountain road in Pai. Two firefighters were killed and eight were injured.
All 2.300 refugees who stayed in the camp are now homeless. Temporary shelters are set up for them by the International Rescue Committee, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration. The UNHCR provides plastic sheeting, sleeping mats and other supplies.
For more than 20 years, the camp has housed some 3.000 Karen who fled fighting between the Myanmar army and rebel forces. It is one of nine refugee camps along the Thailand-Myanmar border. There are 84.000 refugees living there.
(Source: Bangkok Post, March 24, 2013)
A human drama and a photo that makes you very still. Most days it is windless in the North. There must have been a strong wind here that day to cause this disaster in such a short time. An image that will remain etched in your memory. You know what you care for when help is asked for.
For example, you think you have found a safe haven by fleeing the Burmese army led by a cruel regime, you cannot return to the original area because of the destruction and many land mines, only to have to flee again because of a fire or even worse, life to have to leave.
Sad.