9 Indians among 10 killed in massive Maldives capital fire

NEW DELHI: At least 10 people were killed and several others were injured on Thursday when a fire swept through cramped lodgings of foreign workers in the Maldives capital Male, the fire service officials said. Officials said 10 bodies were recovered from the upper floor of a building destroyed in the fire, which originated from a ground-floor vehicle repair garage.

A security official was quoted as saying by AFP that the dead included nine Indians and a Bangladesh national. The capital of the archipelago best known as an upmarket holiday destination is one of the world's most densely populated cities.

The High Commission of India in Maldives expresses grief over the tragic fire incident in Male, Maldives that caused loss of lives including reportedly of Indian nationals.

 

High Commission of India in Maldives expresses grief over tragic fire incident in Male, Maldives that caused loss of lives including reportedly of Indian nationals. pic.twitter.com/onvTGT7AQ3 — ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2022

 

Maldivian political parties have criticised conditions for foreign workers. Foreign workers constitute about half of Male's 250,000-strong population and are mostly from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Their poor living conditions were further exposed during the Covid-19 pandemic when the infection spread three times faster among foreign workers compared with locals.