Vavuniya refugees affected by fire receive help

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 February 2004, 16:44 GMT]
More than 115 refugee families from the 6th Unit Poonthoddam camp lost all of their meagre possessions and are being assisted to relocate to empty areas in other parts of the camp, said K.Ganesh, the Government Agent (GA) of Vavuniya.

Officials from UNHCR, Seva Lanka and NGOs Consortium in Vavuniya visited the scene of the fire at 1.45pm Saturday and are co-ordinating with the Deputy Health Commissioner of Vavuniya in organizing immediate and long-term assistance needed to the refugee families affected by today's fire, Mr.Ganesh said.

Most of the families are being moved to Unit-9 and have been given mats, clothing, blankets and utensils for cooking, officials said.

Residents of the area and Officials expressed relief that there were no injuries other than those suffered by a 5-year old child and a 12-year old boy. The burns of the child are not said to be serious and the 12-year old received some cuts from metal sheet as he attempted to douse the fire. Both have returned from Vavuniya Hospital after receiving treatment from the hospital, according to Hospital officials.

Officials registering the details and names of the affected families.

Vavuniya GA Mr.K.Ganesh at the relief distributing center at Poonthoddam Welfare Center spervising the relief measures.

Hospital sources said that although Vavuniya Deputy Commissioner of Health, Dr. Arumugam Ketheswaran had alerted the doctors, hospital workers and ambulance operators to be ready for fire emergencies, they are relieved that the damages and injuries to personnel from the fire were minimal.