Male, November 12
The Maldivian authorities have begun the process of repatriation of the bodies of the seven Indian and two Bangladeshi nationals charred to death in the biggest-ever fire incident here in the country’s capital.
Seven of the 10 who perished in the fire have been confirmed Indian nationals, with another two identified as Bangladeshi expats, according to Maldives Police Service on Friday. However, one of the bodies discovered from the rubble has not been identified yet.
Three Indian women and four Indian men were killed. A Bangladeshi man and a woman also died, police said.
Previously, it was believed nine Indians and one Bangladeshi had died.
The fire broke out in a car repair garage in M Nirufehi, located near the Maaveyo Mosque, around 12.30 am local time on Thursday. The garage is located on the ground floor, while the first floor of the building housed migrant workers from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.
Police confirmed on Friday that seven Indians and two Bangladeshis died in the fire during the early hours of Thursday, in Sendrose house, online newspaper The Edition.mv reported on Saturday.
However, they said they had not been able to identify an additional person that had died in the incident.
The bodies of the victims were burnt so badly it had been difficult to identify them, they said.
All 10 bodies are now in the Galolhu Mortuary in Male.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that they have begun repatriating the bodies of the victims who perished in Thursday morning’s fire, it said. Local law enforcement authorities said the families of the victims would have the support of their respective embassies or high commissions in the Maldives, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in repatriating the bodies of the deceased back home.
The Ministry said on Friday that they were closely monitoring the fire and that they were conducting a full investigation into the incident.
