BREAKING NEWS: Fire at Umpiem Mai Refugee Camp destroys 1000 houses

A huge fire has destroyed as many as 1,000 houses at Umpiem Refugee Camp, 87km south of the Tak town of Mae Sot. A teacher at the camp explained to Karen News that the fire has destroyed large sections of the camp.
“Section 9,8,7 and 6 are all gone, completely burnt. It’s dry and windy and the wind has turned it down the hill towards the camp’s main market area.”

A camp resident who lives in Section 1 told Karen News.
“The fire was started 10 minute ago around 11.30am. There’s a lot of smoke here, making it hard to breathe. The houses are still burning. I am worried as the wind is blowing the fire towards our section.”

Thai officials told Karen News that the fire started at around 11.30am and fire trucks from the Phro Phra district were dispatched to the refugee camp. Local hospitals at Phop Phra, Mae Sot and Umphang are on emergency standby. The isolated and hilly terrain the camp is located in makes the road trip from Mae Sot an estimated one and half hours.

The Thai Burma Border Consortium estimate Umpiem Mai Refugee Camp is home to 15,207 refugees.

The teacher said he has taken refuge on top of a nearby hill and can see the wind driven fire roaring through the camp.
“It started near the school. People need drinking water and shelter. Thick smoke is obscuring everything.”

The camp consists of 493 rai and is built on a 1100 metre high hill. At the time of writing there are unconfirmed reports of two children injured in the fire.