Yemen’s Interior Ministry has issued a statement clarifying the fire that broke out on Sunday noon at a shelter for undocumented immigrants in the capital Sana’a.
“A fire broke out on Sunday, March 7, 2021, at the immigrants shelter, at 2:30 PM,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
“The fire caused the death and injury of a number of immigrants and the shelters security members .”
The ministry confirmed that civil defence teams were able to evacuate the inmates and extinguish the fire, and that the injured were also rescued, noting that investigations are underway.
In the statement, the ministry expressed its deep regret for this painful incident, holding the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations responsible for the incident.
The statement affirmed that the two organisations failed to do their part in providing shelters for immigrants and for their deportation to their countries of origin, in accordance with international law.
The statement noted that the ministry had addressed international organisations concerned with migrants more than once, and asked them to do their duty, but stated that they had failed to do their part.
Their failure has placed a burden on the Ministry of the Interior, which, despite the scarcity of possibilities due to Saudi-led blockade and aggression, provided a temporary shelter, which was overcrowded with immigrants.
The fire has left eight people dead and injured more than 170 migrants, according to the International Organisation for Migration ( IOM).
