Flame from hut to hut
The day was March 22. It is hard to believe that two fire accidents could take place on the same day in two refugee camps. From all information collected in both the camps, it was accidental and not purposely done.
It was 7:22 am when fire broke out in one of the houses in Goldhap. The blowing wind carried the flame from hut to hut. The fire became uncontrollable. In ninety minutes, 512 huts out of 605 were reduced to ashes. Fire brigade was called. They moved into action and yet they could not arrest the fast spreading fire. Along with the huts our Child Play Centre and Youth Friendly Centre were totally consumed by fire and nothing could be salvaged. All the materials in our Palliative Care Centre were burnt out. The fire also engulfed the Health Centre run by Association of Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA) Nepal.
The Caritas/JRS Nepal team was the first to reach Goldhap and be with the victims of fire. As our school has brick wall and tin sheet roofing, it was not affected. Hence it has become now the shelter for about 3,800 people displaced by fire. The Armed Police Force (APF) at Goldhap and additional deployed force helped the fire brigade in fire fighting. And, they also provided the needed security for the fire victims.