Dhigurah Fire Incident: Deceased expatriates identified as undocumented workers and visa overstayers; one victim was previously reported missing!
19 އޯގަސްޓު 2026 | ބުދަ 09:02A Ministry of Home Affairs investigation has revealed that all five expatriates who died in a fire at an accommodation block in ADh. Dhigurah were undocumented migrants. Information shared with Parliament indicates that the premises where they resided was an unregistered facility, and the fire was ignited by a gas cylinder leak during cooking. The Ministry further confirmed that statements have been recorded from 42 individuals as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident.
Fire incident occurs in ADh. Dhigurah. | Social Media
The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has stated that some of the expatriates who died in the fire at an accommodation block in ADh. Dhigurah were residing in the country illegally.
Member of Parliament for North Galolhu, Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu), has submitted a motion to the People’s Majlis seeking to determine whether government agencies fulfilled their legal responsibilities following a fire at an accommodation block in ADh. Dhigurah that claimed the lives of five migrant workers.
Kudu, who submitted the case, has raised 12 specific questions regarding the incident. Among these, he sought clarification on whether the building where the fire broke out was leased for residential use in compliance with regulations established under the Residential Tenancy Act. Furthermore, he requested confirmation on whether the five migrant workers who perished in the fire were employed under valid work permits in accordance with the Employment Act.
The Parliament Secretariat has shared the relevant details of the incident with MP Kudu, following a formal inquiry conducted through the Dhigurah Council, the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology, and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.
Information shared by the Parliament reveals that the site of the fire was not registered with the Ministry as a legal labor accommodation. Furthermore, the five expatriates who perished in the incident were not registered to work at that specific site. The report further noted that the individuals were working illegally and away from their official sponsors. Among the five victims, the work permits of three had already expired, while the permit of another individual had been cancelled.
Furthermore, it was noted that one of the deceased was a foreign national who had previously been reported missing. According to information provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs to Parliament, the building was a facility arranged by employers to house expatriates working as laborers in Dhigurah.
The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that two individuals required for questioning in the ongoing investigation have not yet been interviewed. These include a Bangladeshi national currently receiving treatment at IGMH for serious injuries sustained in the incident, and another individual who returned to Bangladesh due to the severity of their injuries.
Additional details shared by the Ministry of Home Affairs reveal that 42 individuals have been questioned and their statements recorded in connection with the incident. The Ministry further noted that preliminary investigations suggest the fire broke out while cooking, after a gas cylinder ignited and the flames grew beyond control.
Regarding the incident, Dhigurah Council’s Assistant Council Executive Ahmed Faiz Rasheed stated that the victims had initially escaped the fire but perished after re-entering the building. He further noted that the blaze was caused by a gas leak.
