New Delhi: At least 10 people were killed and several others injured in a fire at the homes of foreign workers in the Maldives capital Malé on Thursday.
The capital of the Maldivian Archipelago (known as an upmarket holiday destination) is one of the most densely populated cities in the world.
Officials said 10 bodies were recovered from the top floor of a building destroyed in the fire, which originated from a ground floor vehicle repair garage. “We have found 10 bodies,” a fire service official said, adding that it took nearly four hours to douse the fire.
India’s Ambassador to the Maldives in a tweet said, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic fire incident in Malé which has caused loss of lives, including reportedly of Indian nationals. We are in close contact with the Maldivian authorities. For any assistance, HCI can be reached on following numbers: +9607361452 ; +9607790701. ”
Maldivian political parties have criticised the conditions for foreign workers. They are believed to be about half of Male’ population of 250,000 and are mostly from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Their poor living conditions were brought to light during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the infection spread three times faster among foreign workers than locals.