A second blaze was reported at Pournara reception centre on Wednesday evening following the hospitalisation of six asylum seekers who suffered burns following another fire earlier in the day.

Police told the Cyprus Mail the first fire broke out around 4.30am which was put out by security guards employed at the centre.

Firefighters also arrived at the scene for examinations.

Six people who suffered burns were transported to the Nicosia general hospital. Their condition was said to be stable.

The exact causes of the fire were expected to be investigated later in the day, but by Wednesday evening they had not yet been clarified.

A little after 8pm, authorities responded to a new fire that reportedly broke out close to a part of the centre’s fence.