A gas cylinder blast in Haa Dhaalu atoll Makunudhoo resulted in a deadly explosion on Saturday, October 21 afternoon that claimed the lives of two expatriates.
On Saturday afternoon around 4:15 p.m., a gas cylinder in Makunudhoo fish market exploded, resulting in the dismemberment of two victims beyond recognition. These individuals were part of the workforce involved in the Makunudhoo land reclamation project for airport development.
Witnesses in close proximity to the incident reported that the explosion caused tremors on the island. The fish market building within the blast radius sustained varying degrees of damage, with ceilings and glass windows of nearby structures also affected by the impact. Additionally, human remains were discovered near the building.
Lights installed in some of the residences near the harbor close to the explosion had been damaged as well.
One of the witnesses close to the marketplace said they saw plumes of thick smoke seconds after the explosion.
“I was at the harbor waiting for the RTL ferry. When I took out the phone to check the time, I heard the explosion. It felt like a bomb had exploded and I saw smoke, but it quickly dissipated,” a witness recalled the event.
“I could not take pictures, and the people had started gathering by then.”
According to the witness, two expatriates had requested from them to check what happened after which they attended the site of the blast and discovered dismembered body parts.
The witness also said that parts of the victims’ bodies flew in multiple directions reaching as far as 200 feet from the explosion.
They also recalled that despite standing further from the actual blast site, they had discovered teeth from one of the victims which had flown a few feet away from the explosion due to the impact.
Images circulating on social media depicted the grim aftermath of the incident: one victim's arm dismembered from the elbow, showing severe burns, while parts of the other victim's head were splattered. Witnesses at the scene attempted to cover the distressing sight, using leaves and other materials.
The blast in Makunudhoo was significant enough to damage the shelter of a berthed vessel in the island’s harbor as well, witnesses said.
Locals reports the exploded cylinder had been sitting under direct sunlight for days, but the exact cause for the blast has not been ascertained.
Following the incident, police forensic and investigative teams from Kulhudhuffushi City were dispatched to the island while Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) confirmed it was probing the cause for the explosion.
However, the authorities did not disclose further details regarding the explosion or the cause behind it.
Sign In