C T Online Desk: A massive fire swept through the Mochni Rohingya camp in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, on Thursday night claiming the life of a child and destroying over 100 homes and other structures.
Md Kauser Sikder, additional deputy inspector general with the 16th Armed Police Battalion (APBn), confirmed the child’s death but could not immediately provide details regarding the victim’s identity or the number of injured individuals.
Kauser said the blaze had originated in a residence within Block P-3 of the camp in Hnila union and quickly engulfed surrounding homes and structures.
“Rohingya residents, along with APBn personnel, worked to contain the flames. Upon being alerted, two units from the Teknaf fire service station arrived at the scene and brought the fire under control after about an hour of effort,” the officer added.
He said preliminary reports suggested the fire had started in a residence, but the exact cause and extent of damage would be determined after further investigation.
Meanwhile, Mukul Kumar Nath, leader of the Teknaf fire service’s operations team, said their units had responded swiftly to the incident, but local residents had managed to bring the flames under control before their arrival.
“At least 100 homes and various structures were reduced to ashes and the body of a child was recovered from the debris. Several injuries were also reported,” Mukul added.
The fire service was continuing its efforts to ascertain the cause of the fire and evaluate the damage caused by the incident, the firefighter said.
