At least eleven dead in a fire in the capital of Maldives

Nov. 10 (EUROPA PRESS) –

At least eleven people have died and another 15 are missing after a fire broke out early this Thursday morning in the capital of Maldives, Malé.

The authorities are still unclear on how many people have died, although they have confirmed that the death toll has stood at 11, according to the daily ‘Mihaaru’.

The Police have not yet identified the cause of the fire, while they have reported that the Department of Serious and Organized Crimes is investigating the incident.

The fire was difficult to control as a large number of gas cylinders exploded.

The fire broke out in a car garage at midnight on Thursday, and was completely extinguished at 04:34 in the morning. Meanwhile, the first floor houses cramped quarters for migrant workers from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.

According to the Fire and Rescue Service of the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), 28 people have been evacuated from the building, reports the Sun newspaper.

A group of volunteers from the Maldives Red Crescent Society are providing first aid and psychological support to the victims.

The aforementioned newspaper indicates that said place has been the scene of two previous fires, the last one two months ago.