Indians among fatalities in Maldives fire tragedy

Eight Indians were among the 11 people who died in a fire incident at a garage in M Nirufehige in Maldives, early Thursday.

Police received reports regarding the incident at 12:17 am (local time) while Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) was informed regarding the incident at around 12:30 am (local time). Fire and Rescue teams reached the spot by 12:33 am (local time) and the fire was completely contained by 4:34 am (local time). The cause of the fire is still not known.

According to authorities, 11 people died in the fire incident. Eight of the deceased were Indian nationals while one person was from Bangladesh, local media reported. The nationalities of two other victims remain unknown so far. The sources revealed that some of the deceased people were trapped in their rooms and bathrooms.

The hospital confirmed that 10 bodies were found in the building. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is assisting the victims and the people who have been evacuated from nearby buildings. The NDMA has created a temporary centre at Maafannu Stadium to assist the victims of the fire.

Ibrahim Rasheed, Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF)'s Fire and Rescue Service Commander, said that the incident happened in a building where a large number of Indian, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi migrant workers lived, as per the report.

(ANI)