The fire apparently was caused by the refugees' illegal use of electricity that is provided for radiators for the tents, said Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay.
Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, which oversees the refugee camps, said authorities have been preparing for winter conditions since August. An official from the unit in charge of the preparations said all refugees were given winter boots, warm clothing, coats and blankets in November.
Almost all of the tents were either revamped for cold weather or replaced with ones able to withstand winter conditions, he said. All tents have heaters, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of government rules.
Despite that, Mohammed al-Abed, a 30-year-old Syrian in Turkey's Yayladagi camp, said conditions were "cold, wet and miserable."
Temperatures were close to freezing, he said, adding that the tents were equipped with heaters but that bathrooms and lavatories were about 300-500 yards (meters) away.
"Often there's a long line of people, including freezing children, waiting in the cold to use the bathrooms," he said.
"There is no hot water. People are getting sick, especially the children. There are lots of coughing, infections and people with colds," he added.
"It's a miserable situation, but I am ashamed to complain because we're much better off than our brothers trapped in Syria," he said, citing conditions at the Atmeh camp on the Syrian side of the border.
"At least we are better equipped with some heaters and blankets. They have nothing, no heating, no electricity. Nothing."
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Associated Press writers Jamal Halaby in Amman, Jordan; Mohammad Hannon in Zaatari, Jordan; Hussein Malla in al-Faour, Lebanon; Zeina Karam in Beirut, Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, and John Heilprin in Geneva contributed to this report.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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