The fire was brought under control after a 2-hour effort by eight firefighting units

Cox’s Baza’ar Correspondent

A fire at the Kutupalong Rohingya camp in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, has claimed two lives and burnt over 500 homes and various other structures to ashes.

After a two-hour effort, eight units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, aided by local volunteers, managed to bring the blaze under control around 2:45pm on Tuesday.

Although the two deceased individuals’ bodies have been recovered, their identities are yet to be confirmed.

The fire broke out around 12:45pm in Block D of the Lombashia 1-West Rohingya camp in Ukhiya.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, but investigations are ongoing, said Deputy Director Tanharul Islam.

Residents reported that the fire started in a house within the camp and quickly spread to surrounding homes and structures.

Upon being informed, three units from the Ukhiya Fire Station rushed to the scene to battle the flames. They were later joined by five more units from Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf Fire Stations.

Locals suspect the fire may have started from an electrical short circuit or a gas cylinder used for cooking. Both the Fire Service and police are conducting investigations to determine the exact cause.