Moria migrant camp: Fire engulfs Greece's largest camp on Lesbos

4 years ago 300

Published1 minute ago

image copyrightReuters

image captionPeople were seen fleeing the camp with their belongings

Fire has engulfed Greece's largest migrant camp, the overcrowded Moria facility on the island of Lesbos.

Migrants were being evacuated. There were no immediate reports of casualties as at least 25 firefighters with 10 engines battled the flames.

One eyewitness said the main compound, as well as makeshift shelters in a nearby olive grove, were ablaze.

Moria is home to nearly 13,000 people, more than four times the number it can officially hold.

As yet the cause of the blaze is unclear. One local resident told the BBC that almost the whole camp had been on fire.

"Now with the first light I can see that there is a few tents that make it, they are okay, but the rest of the camp, as I can see from this distance, is burnt out," Thanasis Voulgarakis said.

The camp was placed under quarantine last week after a migrant tested positive for the coronavirus. There are now 35 confirmed cases.

Greek news agency ANA said the fires had broken out after some of the 35 had refused to move into isolation with their families, but this is unconfirmed.

Reports from the scene said police have blocked migrants fleeing the fire from heading to the port town of Mytilene.

The refugee support group Stand by Me Lesvos said it had heard reports of some locals attacking and preventing migrants from passing through a nearby village.

Read Entire Article