UNHCR decries death of refugee child following fire incident in the Bekaa valley

3 Jul 2017

UNHCR and partners responded immediately to rebuild the settlement that was hit by a fire in Qabb Elias on 2 July 2017. Items including food, water and blankets were distributed to the 103 affected families. ©UNHCR/Tatiana Audi

BEIRUT, Lebanon, 3 July 2017 (UNHCR) – The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) today said it is deeply saddened by the tragic death of a two year-old refugee child as a result of a fire that broke out at the Qab Elias informal settlement on Sunday.

“Refugees are in a state of shock,” said UNHCR’s Head of Office in the Bekaa Josep Zapater, “our teams reported to the site immediately after receiving news of the fire and found that 87 tents hosting 103 families were affected. We will stand by their side until they are able to get back on their feet.” Initial reports suggest that the fire was started by a domestic accident related to a cooking stove or a short circuit.

UNHCR and its implementing partner Save the Children are currently assessing the burnt site in preparation for the re-graveling of the informal settlement in order to reestablish the ground before new tents can be erected.

In the meantime, the Lebanese Red Cross helped relocate the affected families to temporary shelters nearby. Local municipalities and various humanitarian actors including local organizations immediately mobilized to assist the families. Hot and cold meals, blankets, mattresses, water gallons and other items were distributed. A mobile medical unit was deployed to the temporary site to attend to the refugees’ healthcare needs. UNHCR will also provide legal assistance to help those whose documentation was lost in the fire.

“It is heartwarming to see this level of solidary from the surrounding community and the municipality with the refugees,” said Zapater, “going through this level of loss is traumatizing for the refugees who already have so little and who have already lost so much. The support they are receiving is making a world’s difference.”

Settlements such as the one in Qab Elias are spontaneous sites and not formal camps. They are made of temporary materials.  Small fires, given the circumstances and depending on the weather, can spread very quickly and cause a lot of damage.

Because of the high risk of fires in informal settlements, UNHCR has invested in a number of preventative measures such as the deployment of fire extinguishers, the training of refugees within the settlements on the use of fire equipment, and extensive awareness raising among refugees about major fire sources including cooking stoves and heaters.

 

For more information:

Ms. Lisa Abou Khaled, [email protected], Tel. +961 71 880 070