Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) has launched an investigation into the death of five expatriate workers in a fire last night at an accommodation block in ADh. Dhigurah.
HRCM said that they are closely monitoring whether any human rights were infringed in the circumstances surrounding the incident, as well as the condition of those injured in the incident.
Many accommodation blocks for expatriate workers are widely seen as unsafe, substandard, and violating basic human rights and dignity. There have been numerous tragic incidents in such places, leading to injury and even loss of life.
The fire at the Dhigurah accommodation block was caused due to a gas leak, according to unconfirmed reports, although there is yet to be an official statement on the incident.
A Dhigurah resident said that the fire had broken out while two of the expatriates living there had been cooking late at night. The rest of those living there had been asleep at the time.
The fire claimed the lives of five expatriates. Two others who sustained critical burn injuries have since been transferred to Male' for further treatment.
