Chiang Mai (Mizzima) – Nineteen houses were damaged and 80 people left homeless when a fire swept through the No.1 Karenni Refugee Camp in Mae Hong Song on the Thai-Burmese border on Saturday, according to a member of the camp committee.

No one was injured in the fire, but most victims lost all their possessions.

A kitchen fire broke out in House No. 117 in Ward 13 of the refugee camp at about 4 a.m. and spread to other houses, sources said. The houses were constructed of thatch roofs, bamboo walls and wooden floors.

At first, refugees fought the fire, and a fire engine from Mae Hong Song arrived to extinguish the blaze. Twenty houses had to be sacrificed to prevent the fire from spreading.

A temporary shelter for victims was opened at the camp committee office and camp school, and the Thai-Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) and the International Rescue Committee provided relief supplies.

There are 1,515 refugees living in camp No. 1 and 3,556 refugees in camp No. 2.

In March last year, 54 houses were destroyed in a fire in camp No. 1. At that time, the TBBC rebuilt the damaged houses within one month in collaboration with camp officials, said a camp committee member. This time, refugees are worried that a lack of TBBC funds could prevent quick rebuilding.

Most of the refugees fled Burma to escape from conflict zones. There are nine refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border and a total of 145,000 refugees. Over the years, 65,000 refugees have left to resettle in third countries.