Fatal fire, clashes hit overcrowded Greek migrant camp
MORIA: The UN and the mayor of Lesbos on Monday called for the immediate transfer of migrants from an overcrowded Greek refugee camp on the island after a deadly fire sparked riots.
Greek officials on Monday confirmed the death of a woman in Sunday’s blaze at Moria, Europe’s largest migrant camp, which houses around 13,000 people but has facilities for just 3,000.
However, Greek media reported that a burnt blanket possibly containing the charred remains of a baby had been found next to the woman, matching earlier police sources saying a mother and her child had died.
Another 17 injured migrants were transferred to a hospital on the island at Mytilene, the health ministry said.
“Many refugees are so sad, they are stressed, they fear an accident can happen again,” Farid, a young Afghan who did not give his last name, said.
The incident came as the number of migrant arrivals has been steadily climbing in recent months, creating dangerous conditions in the camps of the Greek islands that are in the forefront of the influx.
The UN’S refugee agency (UNHCR) on Monday warned the “critical” situation at Moria required “urgent” action.
“We are calling to accelerate the transfers and improve conditions in Moria,” said Boris Cheshirkov, UNHCR’S spokesman in Greece.
Lesbos mayor Stratos Kytelis also urged the “immediate decongestion of our islands”.
EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos is set to visit Greece and Turkey this week with the foreign ministers of Germany and France to discuss the explosive situation in the camps on the Greek islands.
“The increased arrivals in Greece over the past weeks have put an immense strain on an already flawed system and are creating unsustainable conditions as we have already had the opportunity to point out in the past,” European Commission spokesman Mina Andreeva said. ‘CAN HAPPEN ANYTIME’ Moria camp has become like a small town, with UN refugee agency tents for around 8,000 people sprawling into the olive fields of nearby Moria village. Others are housed in containers. A plane helped extinguish the fire, which reportedly started in a mobile vendor’s stall. But police later fired tear gas to control an angry crowd who accused authorities of taking too long to respond to the incident. Calm had returned to the camp by Monday but the UN and residents said there was still a strong police presence.
Regional governor Kostas Moutzouris warned that “such a tragedy can happen anytime” at the cramped camp.
Greece hosts some 70,000 mostly Syrian refugees and migrants who have fled their countries since 2015, crossing over from neighbouring Turkey.