Fire erupts at IDP camp in Kurdistan’s Zakho, burns 21 tents

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – On Saturday morning, a fire erupted at the Bersiyav Camp in Zakho, burning 21 tents, with no human casualties reported.

The fire began around 6:30 a.m. until about 7:00 a.m. local time, the Director of the camp, Dler Ahmed, told Kurdistan 24.

He mentioned that the cause of the fire was unknown as an investigation had begun into the incident.

“Fortunately, there were no human casualties, but the tents and their contents have been burned,” Ahmed said.

The camp Director noted that replacement tents and basic essentials would soon be provided to the 21 families who were affected.

A stove or kerosene heater might have been the source of the fire as gas cylinders exploded following the blaze, according to some displaced persons at the camp.

“When the fire erupted, it quickly covered other tents due to a strong wind in the morning,” one of the witnesses told Kurdistan 24.

Saturday’s incident was not the first time a fire had erupted at the camp. Previously, about 30 shops at the camp were burned due to an electrical issue.

The Kurdistan Region is home to over 1.5 million refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who fled from Syria and other parts of Iraq due to the threat of the Islamic State (IS).

The camp was established in 2014 following the emergence of IS in northern Iraq. The site was home to IDPs from Tal Afar and Sinjar (Shingal). After the liberation of Tal Afar, many of the displaced returned to their homes.

There are about 2,500 families who still live in the camp with nearly 400 of them Kurdish Yezidis (Ezidis).

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany

(Islam Yousuf contributed to this report)