Maldives Police Service (MPS) is conducting searches at the site of Friday’s fire for more bodies that could have been undiscovered.

Speaking to press, Superintendent of police Ismail Naveen revealed that they are looking for bodies that could have been overlooked, while they clean the area and emphasized that their decision to search for bodies does not come after a missing person report.

However, they are conducting the searched as par the set standard procedure for such incidents, and following reports on social media over possibilities of more bodies.

Highlighting that many undocumented migrant workers are known to reside in the region where the fire broke out, Naveen stated that it is possible for an undocumented worker to go missing without anyone noticing, and thus it is important to check for more bodies.

Six houses and four warehouses were burned in the fire. Some of the houses were burned beyond repair and families residing there have been given temporary shelter.