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The largest refugee camp in Greece caught fire in a major fire. As a result, more than 12,000 refugees have lost their place to go. The Greek government has declared a state of emergency in the area.
According to the Associated Press and the Reuters news agency, on the night of the 8th (local time), a fire in the Moria refugee camp on the island of Lesbos in southeastern Greece triggered an emergency evacuation of the refugees who were staying in the countryside. The fire spread rapidly through strong winds at a maximum speed of 70 km / h, and it is known that most of the camp facilities were burned. However, it has been reported that no one has been injured or killed, except those who breathed smoke.
Greek authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, weighing the possibility that the fire was caused by arson. Authorities believe it was caused by refugees dissatisfied with the blockade of the Moria refugee camp. The camp was closed earlier this week due to the occurrence of the coronavirus confirmed 35 people, due to a fire breaking out shortly after the quarantined refugees caused the riots. A fire department official said: “The fires started in several places in the camp at the same time” and “the refugees threw stones at the firefighters who were trying to extinguish them.” In a press interview, a camp resident said: “Last night some people who lived in the camp were upset with the quarantine measures and started making small fires. This brought in the police and they fired tear gas.” The fire grew and we had no choice but to flee. “
The maximum capacity of Camp Moria is 2,757, and 12,600 people are said to have lived more than four times the fire at the time of the fire. This is the most visited refugee camp in Greece. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), more than 4,000 children stay here, including 407 unaccompanied children.
The Greek government said it was trying to find shelter for the refugees. The government plans to divide and temporarily detain refugees who have been displaced by ferries and warships, while children and youth without guardians will be transferred to the continent with the support of the European Union (EU). Meanwhile, according to the AFP news agency, the whereabouts of 35 refugees who have been confirmed by the corona are unknown, raising concerns that they could spread the coronavirus outside the camp.
