A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos.
Athens – Thousands of migrants were forced to flee to safety when their camp on the Greek island of Lesbos was badly damaged in a fire apparently set on purpose, police said.
No casualties were reported but tents at the Moria camp were “almost entirely destroyed” and containers that provide additional accommodation and health and registration services were damaged, a police source in Athens told AFP.
Firefighters were prevented from tackling the fire early on by clashes that broke out among rival nationalities in the camp, reports said.
“Between 3,000 and 4,000 migrants fled the camp of Moria,” to the surrounding fields, with strong winds fanning the flames also hampering firefighters, the police source said.
However, once inside the firefighters were able to bring the fire under control.
Police were sent out after the migrants and were in the process of returning them to the camp, the officer added.
The officer said there was “no doubt” that the fire had been set on purpose by those inside.
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