Europe's largest refugee camp burns down
Fires broke out in several parts of the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos on Tuesday evening. Moria is the largest refugee camp in Europe. Refugees have been transferred to other camps. Was the fire intentional?
In the early hours of Wednesday, September 9, fires broke out in several locations at the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. Strong winds fanned the flames, causing them to spread throughout the camp and its surrounding areas. 28 firefighters and eight fire engines were battling the blaze. The blaze is now under control.
Refugees were moved to safe locations due to the fire spreading to residential containers.
There have been reports online and in local Greek media that smoke and fire have blocked the escape routes of camp residents. There have been no reports of possible deaths or injuries.
12,700 refugees, including 7,000 children, are housed in the Moria camp, which has a capacity of less than 2,900. Refugees have repeatedly protested the current conditions and called for transfers to other parts of Greece or other European countries.
The mayor of the island of Lesbos in the eastern Aegean Sea had also expressed serious concern for months about the uncontrollable situation due to the overcrowding of the camp and warned of the dangers and consequences.
The cause of the fire is currently only speculation. Refugees have said that locals set the camp on fire. People also say that the refugees started the fire.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis immediately called an emergency meeting after the fires broke out on Lesbos. The meeting was attended by the migration minister, the head of the Greek intelligence service and the country's army chief of staff.
A Greek government spokesman said the fire was “organised and suspicious.” He also said that the refugees had tried to obstruct the work of the firefighters.
The spread of the coronavirus pandemic is another problem for refugees in the Moria camp.
A 40-year-old Somali man recently tested positive for COVID-19, raising concerns about a potential spread of COVID-19 in the Moria camp. Greek authorities have placed the Moria camp under lockdown. However, Greek health officials say there have been 35 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the camp's residents.
Refugee rights organizations hold the European Union responsible for the worsening situation in the Moria camp.
Ramona Lenz of the aid organization MedCall International says the European Union could have provided better conditions for refugees by evacuating refugee camps on the Greek islands.
Currently, tens of thousands of refugees are living on the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, and Leros, among others.
Source: DW
