Karenni refugee camp burns down

07 April 2015
Karenni refugee camp burns down

A fire at a refugee camp for ethnic Karenni people near Myanmar’s eastern border with Thailand destroyed hundreds of houses on April 7, leaving thousands of people uninjured but homeless, reports Radio Free Asia on April 7.
Karenni people made homeless by the refugee camp fire have been placed at offices, schools and store buildings, but are in urgent need of food and shelter, according to a camp committee member.
The cause of the two-hour fire, which started at 11:15 am in Karenni refugee Camp 1, remains unknown, according to a post on the website of the Social Development Center, a small community-based organization located on the Thai-Myanmar border.
The center said 148 homes were destroyed and more than 700 were left homeless during the fire which occurred during the traditional Karenni festival of Kay Htoe Boe.