According to a report, a six-year-old girl has died during a fire at a migrant camp at the Greek island of Lesbos, which has become the center of a growing migrant crisis since Turkey opened its borders.
Greek pundit, Nick Athens, presented the tweet captioned, “#Alert now in #Lesbos island #Greece fire on migrant reception and identification center in #Moria one kid 6 year old died,” in which riotous scenes show migrants throw objects into the roaring fire.
#Alert now in #Lesbos island #Greece fire on migrant reception and identification center in #Moria one kid 6 year old died. pic.twitter.com/66XhYeiTRI
— Nic 🇬🇷 (@NicAthens) March 16, 2020
More disturbing scenes from the blaze were posted to social media by the same pundit as the situation reached fever pitch.
Video update #Lesbos #Moria fire. pic.twitter.com/0wA2WGbQWY
— Nic 🇬🇷 (@NicAthens) March 16, 2020
Video update#Lesbos #Moria fire. pic.twitter.com/gWe9gyiLwR
— Nic 🇬🇷 (@NicAthens) March 16, 2020
According to Ekathimerini, strong winds made tackling the blaze–which reportedly broke out in one of the living containers–difficult for firefighters who desperately tried to reach the overcrowded facility.
The overcrowded camp was designed to hold around 3,000 people, but was currently catering to 19,000–more than six times capacity.
The Hellenic Fire service confirmed that a six-year-old girl had died as a result of the fire.
So far, the child remains unnamed and the source of the fire unknown.
An Afghan migrant at the camp told The Guardian: “I wasn’t in the camp at the time but my family lives in a container near where the fire was. When I heard that there was a big fire, I tried to go back into the camp but there were a lot of people trying to get out.”
He continued: “I was so shocked and I was just looking for my family. I went and saw a big fire and flames. Lots of people were in shock, lots were crying and everyone had their backpacks and were trying to leave and to get away from the fire.
“I went to our living container inside the camp walls and it was full of smoke but no one was there. Luckily I found my family but it was a horrible feeling. One of my friends wasn’t able to breathe from the smoke but they are OK now.”
Social media commenters were less than impressed by the scenes. One chimed in: “Since they destroyed the camp they should live in the open till they rebuild it with their own hands. They are young strong and dont lack food or clothing unlike real refugees. Your taxes pay for it.”
Since they destroyed the camp they should live in the open till they rebuild it with their own hands. They are young strong and dont lack food or clothing unlike real refugees. Your taxes pay for it.
— kasia11 (@zawisza2017) March 16, 2020
While another commented: “Send them home asap.”
Send them home asap.
— Johan Elgeskog (@JohanElgeskog) March 16, 2020
National File previously reported on an incident a few days ago where migrants attempted to set fire to a border fence on the Greek-Turkish border.
Via National File:
Video footage shows Greek farmers riding farm tractors in a battle charge against arsonist migrants that are trying to set fires along the Greek-Turkish border, and repelling the migrants with well-aimed sprays from irrigation cannon.
As the clash between Greek citizens and illegal migrants turned loose by Turkey intensifies, the migrants have begun setting fires under the metal border fencing in an attempt to weaken it.
