Four Syrians from same family die in Zaatari fire

AMMAN — A Syrian husband and wife and their two children died on Monday in a fire that erupted at the Zaatari Refugee Camp in Mafraq, the Civil Defence Department said. 

Three other Syrian refugees suffered smoke inhalation and shortness of breath in the fire, which was caused by a gas leak, according to a CDD statement sent to The Jordan Times.

The deceased Syrians died of third-degree burns and their bodies were later taken to Oun Field Hospital while the injured refugees were admitted to the Moroccan Field Hospital. 

Mwaffaq Miqdad, a Syrian refugee interviewed by Reuters TV at the camp, some 80km northeast of Amman, expressed hope that similar incidents will not take place in the future. 

"When the ambulance arrived at the location everything was over... A man, his wife and their two children passed away. We hope something like this never happens again, but unfortunately such accidents have happened many times before," he added.

Some 80,000 Syrian refugees currently reside in the camp. 

Brig. Gen. Wadah Hmoud, director of the Syrian Refugees Affairs Directorate, was not available to comment on the incident despite several attempts by The Jordan Times to reach him.