Darfur/Chad, February 05 (Darfur24)
At least three people were killed and dozens injured this week in separate large fires that struck a Sudanese refugee camp in eastern Chad and two locations in South Darfur State, destroying hundreds of shops and homes and causing extensive material losses, according to eyewitnesses and local sources.
In eastern Chad, one person was killed and two others suffered varying degrees of burns after a massive fire broke out around midnight Thursday in the market of the Alasha refugee camp, witnesses told Darfur24. The blaze rapidly spread across much of the market amid a severe shortage of firefighting equipment, leading to the complete destruction of shops and goods.
The Alasha camp, located about 100 kilometers south of Adré, hosts tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees who fled the conflict. Witnesses said the cause of the fire remains unknown, leaving residents in shock as many families lost their primary sources of income. The incident highlighted ongoing safety risks inside refugee camps, where fragile infrastructure increases vulnerability to disasters.
In South Darfur, a fire erupted Tuesday evening in parts of Atash camp northeast of Nyala, causing widespread material damage. Sheikh Hassan Suleiman Ibrahim, head of the camp administration, told Darfur24 that the fire swept through homes in Center (13), destroying agricultural produce, household belongings, and a community sewing workshop containing 35 machines established to support youth livelihoods.
He said the fire displaced children, women, elderly residents, and people with disabilities, leaving dozens without shelter. One affected resident told Darfur24 she lost all her belongings and appealed for urgent humanitarian assistance.
Meanwhile, in the Sinqo area of South Darfur’s Al-Radoum locality, two people were killed Wednesday when a large fire tore through the local market, destroying an estimated 300 shops. Mohammed Ahmed, a trader, told Darfur24 the fire began in a shisha shop before spreading rapidly across the market, damaging fuel stores, restaurants, and pharmacies. He said loss assessments were ongoing amid fears the scale of destruction could rise.
Sinqo is a key commercial hub serving nearby artisanal gold mining areas, where thousands of traders and prospectors rely on the market for essential supplies.
Across Darfur and neighboring regions, seasonal fires remain a recurring threat, fueled by strong winds, limited emergency response capacity, and the widespread construction of shelters using flammable local materials.