1 dead in fire in refugee camp on Greek island

5/12/2019 18:32

        Greek authorities say one person has died after a fire broke out in a housing unit in a refugee camp on the eastern Aegean island of Lesbos.
        
        The fire department said the small fire broke out before dawn Thursday in the Kara Tepe camp, and eight firefighters with two vehicles responded. One person was found unconscious, the department said. It was unclear what caused the fire.
        
        Kara Tepe houses mainly families and other refugees considered vulnerable. Hundreds of people arrive on Greek islands from the nearby Turkish coast each week, resulting in dramatically overcrowded camps on the islands.
        
        The government has said it plans to move 20,000 asylum seekers from the islands to other facilities on the mainland by the end of the year.