Fire News

Giant blaze leaves thousands homeless in Bangladesh Rohingya camp

By AFP

Cox's Bazar - A huge fire tore through a Rohingya refugee camp on Thursday destroying more than 550 shanty homes, but while 3,500 people were left homeless no serious casualties were reported, aid agencies said.

10 babies killed in India hospital fire

By AFP

Mumbai - Ten babies were killed in a maternity unit in the Indian state of Maharashtra early Saturday when fire tore through a major hospital, a doctor said.

11 perish in Russia nursing home fire

By AFP

Moscow - A fire ripped through an overcrowded retirement home in central Russia overnight, killing 11 vulnerable people as the blaze swept through the small wooden building, investigators said Tuesday.

Storms help Australia contain UNESCO heritage island fire

By AFP

Brisbane - Australian firefighters have managed to control a bushfire that burned more than half of the UNESCO world heritage-listed Fraser Island, around two months after a suspected illegal campfire sparked the blaze.

Three dead as fire ravages Spanish warehouse housing migrants

By AFP

Badalona - Three migrants were killed when a fire ripped through a warehouse near Barcelona, injuring around 20 including several who jumped from the three-storey building to flee the flames, Spanish officials said Thursday.

Two dead as fire ravages Spanish warehouse housing migrants

By AFP

Badalona - A fire ripped through a warehouse occupied by migrants near Barcelona killing at least two people and injuring 19, including several who jumped from the building to escape the flames, Spanish officials said Thursday.

Australia bush fire rips through heritage-listed island

By AFP

Brisbane - Australian firefighters are struggling to control a massive bush fire that already destroyed 40 percent of the UNESCO world heritage-listed Fraser Island before a heatwave hit Monday.

Romania hospital fire fuels fear of further disasters

By AFP

Bucharest - Ten coronavirus patients died in a fire at a Romanian hospital on Saturday, sparking wider safety warnings in a country marked by crumbling infrastructure and a culture of makeshift repairs.

Doctor hailed as hero as Romania hospital fire kills 10

By AFP

Bucharest - A doctor left badly burned in a Romanian hospital fire that left 10 dead was hailed as a hero on Sunday after it emerged he had tried to help Covid-19 patients to safety.

'No justice' five years on from Romania nightclub fire

By AFP

Bucharest - Five years after a devastating nightclub fire killed three of her friends and left her with severe burns, 39-year-old Romanian Flavia Lupu said justice still has not been served in the case -- and that not enough lessons have been learnt.

Q&A: How to improve air quality in wildfire season Special

By Tim Sandle

Wildfires have burned more than 2.2 million acres (8,903 Km2) across California so far this year, despite the coming fire season. The fires are creating poor air conditions for many across the state. What can be done to address this issue?

Wildfires raze dozens of homes in New Zealand

By AFP

Wellington - Wildfires have destroyed up to 50 homes in New Zealand, authorities announced Monday, saying it was a miracle no one was hurt as "a wall of orange" razed most of a remote South Island village.

Going up: Review of California wildfires since 1984

By Tim Sandle

High-severity wildfires in northern coastal California have been increasing, according to new research, by some 10 percent for each decade decade since 1984. This indicates the increased likelihood of wildfires as time passes.

Two sentenced to death for deadly 2012 Pakistan factory fire

By AFP

Karachi - Two men were sentenced to death Tuesday for starting a fire at a Pakistan garment factory that killed over 260 people in 2012.

Lesbos camp filling up as UN warns on migrants' future

By AFP

Athens - The UN refugee agency on Friday warned Greece that a new camp on Lesbos island hastily built to house thousands of migrants left homeless by a fire last week can only be temporary.

Lesbos camp filling up as UN warns on migrants' future

By AFP

The UN refugee agency on Friday warned Greece that a new camp on Lesbos island hastily built to house thousands of migrants left homeless by a fire last week can only be temporary.

Greek police move homeless migrants to new Lesbos camp

By AFP

Police on the Greek island of Lesbos on Thursday launched an operation to rehouse thousands of asylum seekers sleeping rough for over a week after Europe's largest migrant camp was destroyed by fire.

Lesbos police begin operation to move homeless migrants to new camp

By AFP

Police on the Greek island of Lesbos on Thursday began an operation to rehouse thousands of homeless migrants at a new site after their camp was destroyed by fire, an AFP journalist said.

California braces for high winds that could propel deadly wildfires

By AFP

Los Angeles - California faces more devastation from wildfires that have ravaged the West Coast, authorities warned Wednesday, with strong winds and dry heat expected to whip up flames from dozens of blazes raging across the state.

Afghans face Greek prosecutor over fire at migrant camp

By AFP

Six young Afghan men including two minors will face a prosecutor on Greece's Lesbos island Wednesday on suspicion of setting fires that destroyed Europe's largest migrant camp last week.

Explosions spark huge fire in Italian port, no casualties

By AFP

Rome - Explosions and a huge fire ripped through the port area of the Italian city of Ancona early Wednesday, destroying warehouses and lorries, but there were no casualties, firefighters said.

Five migrants arrested over Greek camp fire: minister

By AFP

Athens - Police on the Greek island of Lesbos have arrested five migrants suspected of setting a fire that destroyed Europe's largest camp of Moria last week, the minister responsible for policing said Tuesday.

Germany to take in 1,500 refugees from Greek islands

By AFP

Greece - Germany said Tuesday it will take in more than 1,500 refugees from Greece on top of the 150 unaccompanied minors whose camp burned down on the island of Lesbos as Berlin tried to rally a fresh EU response to a years-long migrant crisis that flared anew...

Hundreds of migrants housed in new Lesbos camp after fire

By AFP

Roughly 800 of the thousands of asylum seekers who fled a fire that destroyed Europe's biggest migrant camp have been housed at a temporary site on the island of Lesbos, Greece's migration ministry said.

Greek government accuses migrants of 'burning' Moria camp

By AFP

Greece on Monday accused migrants of deliberately burning their overcrowded camp last week on Lesbos island, where hundreds reluctantly moved to a new temporary site with "no showers or mattresses".

Greece sees end to Lesbos migrant crisis within a week

By AFP

Greece said Sunday it hoped thousands of asylum seekers left homeless by fires at Europe's largest migrant camp could be rehoused within a week to end a crisis that has seen protesters clash with police.

Greece sees end to Lesbos migrant crisis within a week

By AFP

Weary migrants wary of new migrant camp in Greece's Lesbos

By AFP

Aided by a Farsi-speaking translator, Greek asylum staffer Michalis patiently explained to a group of Afghans that a new tent camp awaits them on the island of Lesbos.

Teargas fired during migrant protests on Greek island of Lesbos

By AFP

Greek riot police fired tear gas at protesting asylum-seekers on the island of Lesbos Saturday, as thousands demanded help after being left homeless by fires that destroyed Europe's largest migrant camp.

Teargas fired during migrant protests on Greek island of Lesbos

By AFP

Greek riot police fired tear gas at protesting asylum seekers on Lesbos island Saturday, as thousands demanded help after being left homeless by the fire that destroyed Europe's largest migrant camp.