Germany urges EU members to support Greece and take in migrants after fire at refugee camp

Following a massive fire that broke out in Greece’s largest refugee camps, Germany, on September 9, urged EU members to take in migrants whose temporary shelter was destroyed by the incident. While taking to Twitter, Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called the horrifying incident a ‘humanitarian disaster’ and urged fellow EU members to support Greece. 

READ: Greece: Massive Fire Breaks Out In Overcrowded Refugee Camp, Emergency Declared

State of Emergency declared 

As per reports, around 12,000 migrants were rendered homeless after the fire broke out overnight at the overcrowded Moria refugee camp, located on the island of Lesbos, Greece. The camp houses refugees from Afghanistan, Syria and much other war-prone nations. Terming it as difficult night, the government has declared a state of emergency in the region.

As of now, the cause of the blazes, as well as the full extent of the damage remains unclear. Flames gutted majority of the camp and surrounding hillside of olive groves.  Alongside, physical damages, the fire also broke out protests involving migrants, firefighters and refugees.

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According to reports, about 25 firefighters with 10 engines battled the flames as migrants were evacuated. Police officials have cordoned off roads leading from the camp to prevent fleeing migrants entering nearby towns. The UNHCR said that they were aware of the ‘tensions’ between nearby townsfolk and the migrants. In a reported statement the UN agency urged everyone to exercise restraint and further asked anyone who had been at the camp to restrict their movements and stay near the site as a temporary solution is being found to shelter them. 

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