Dhigurah Fire: victims initially escaped blaze but died after re-entering for belongings; gas leak suspected

The victims of the fatal fire that broke out at a migrant worker accommodation block in ADh. Dhigurah late Thursday night had initially escaped the building but perished after re-entering the premises, according to Ahmed Faiz Rasheed, Assistant Council Executive of the island council. He further stated that a gas leak is the suspected cause of the incident.

Five Bangladeshi nationals have lost their lives in this incident.

Providing details regarding the incident, Faiz stated that the fire broke out around 2:00 a.m. on Thursday and is largely believed to have been caused by a leak from a cooking gas cylinder. He noted that video footage captured by bystanders indicates a powerful explosion occurred. It is suspected that the fire ignited while someone attempted to light the stove amidst the gas leak, subsequently causing the cylinder to explode.

Faiz stated that although many residents from the accommodation block, which housed a total of 34 people, managed to escape safely, those who perished were reportedly put in danger after re-entering the building to retrieve personal belongings such as clothing and money. As the fire broke out near the main exit leading to the street, those who went back inside were trapped and unable to escape.

On the other hand, the response to this incident was very swift. Since many people were still awake at the time and the explosion was so loud, a large number of people rushed to the scene immediately. Consequently, it did not take long to bring the fire under control and extinguish it; the flames were completely put out within approximately half an hour. However, the tragedy occurred because those who had gone inside were unable to escape due to the building's layout. The fire had broken out right at the entrance facing the street. As a result, those who had entered the premises to retrieve items faced the greatest danger.

Assistant Council Executive Ahmed Faiz Rasheed

Faiz, who was personally involved in the recovery and cleaning of the deceased, noted that their deaths were not caused by direct contact with the fire. He observed only minor physical injuries on the bodies, suggesting that the victims likely succumbed to asphyxiation from thick smoke. He further highlighted that the bodies were heavily covered in black soot.

During the incident, three individuals were trapped inside a restroom, two of whom were rescued after authorities broke through the wall. Both are currently receiving treatment at IGMH in Malé. Additionally, another individual was discharged early Friday after receiving medical attention at the island's health center. Faiz stated that more people could have been saved had they not re-entered the building to retrieve their belongings.

Efforts are currently underway to transport the bodies of the five deceased individuals to Male'. A specialized police team arrived on the island this morning, accompanied by two officials from the Bangladesh Embassy. Some family members, including children of the victims, are also present here. Negotiations are ongoing regarding all necessary arrangements to repatriate the remains to Bangladesh. All the victims are Bangladeshi nationals, and no other nationalities were involved in the incident. In addition to the five fatalities, two individuals are currently receiving treatment at IGMH. Another person was discharged last night after receiving medical care at the local health center.

Assistant Council Executive Ahmed Faiz Rasheed

A large number of local residents gathered at the scene and managed to bring the fire under control within approximately half an hour.

An official from Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) informed RaajjeMV that two individuals injured in a serious fire in Dhigurah on Thursday night were brought to the hospital for treatment on Friday. Both victims are currently being treated on ventilator support. The official did not provide further details regarding the extent of their burns or their specific conditions.