Syrian refugees look at the damage after a fire engulfed part of the Tel al-Sarhoun refugee camp near the village of Bar Elias in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa valley on July 4, 2017. (AFP / HASSAN JARRAH)
BEIRUT: A fire caused by an electrical malfunction killed a girl at a Syrian refugee camp in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley overnight, a medical source said on Tuesday, in the second lethal blaze in a refugee camp in the
area three days.
On Sunday, a fire destroyed a Syrian refugee camp near Qab Elias, some 7 km (5 miles) away from Bar Elias, also killing one person. Initial reports indicated that fire was caused by a cooking stove. The camp was home to around 100 families.
Save the Children Lebanon, a non-governmental organisation that assists refugees, said it was working to provide emergency support to the families and children affected by the latest blaze.
"Save the Children calls for better shelter conditions that protect refugees from fire risks and ensure the safety of children wherever they live," Country Director Allison Zelkowitz said in an emailed statement.
Lebanon is hosting at least 1 million registered Syrian refugees, though the government says that in total there are about 1.5 million in the country. Many of them living in tented settlements around the country.
