Burning tents in a Syrian refugee camp at the southern entrance to Saida, South Lebanon, July 20, 2023. (Courtesy of Muntasser Abdallah)
BEIRUT — Four people were injured Thursday in a fire at a Syrian refugee camp fire near the southern entrance of Saida, South Lebanon, a security source and eyewitnesses told L'Orient Today.
According to these sources, the fire was started by one or more gas canisters that exploded, causing six tents to catch fire. The camp is home to over 40 families.
Among the injured were two young men aged 19 and 20, both Syrian nationals. One of them was rescued by members of the Maarouf Saad Institution's Popular Relief Fund, while the other was taken to al-Hamshari Hospital.
The third injured person was transported to the hospital by the Red Cross, while the fourth was taken to a local hospital by a passing driver.
The police and fire department were deployed to bring the fire under control.
Last February, a mother and son were killed in a fire at a camp in the border village of Arsal, in the Bekaa Valley.
In recent years, several fires have destroyed informal refugee camps in Lebanon, where safety standards are generally not respected.
The fires are often caused by faulty electrical wiring or the use of stoves for heating during the winter months.
Reporting contributed by Muntasser Abdallah.