9 Indians among 10 killed in massive Maldives fire: Report

Maldives Fire: India expressed grief over Maldives fire and said that it was in close contact with authorities.

At least 10 people were killed and several others injured when a fire swept through cramped lodgings of foreign workers in the Maldives capital Male, the fire service said. In the fire 9 Indians were reportedly killed as officials recovered 10 bodies from the upper floor of a building destroyed in the fire.

Maldives Fire: Firefighters try to douse a fire that broke out in a building lodging foreign workers in Maldives capital Male. (AFP)

The fire appeared to have been originated from a ground-floor vehicle repair garage.

"We have found 10 bodies," a fire service official said, adding that it took them about four hours to put out the fire, according to news agency AFP.

Another person killed in the fire was a Bangladesh national, AFP reported citing a security official.

Maldives president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said that an investigation into the incident is currently underway.

“The dangerous fire incident in the city yesterday is a very sad incident. Many people have lost their lives and a large number have been injured. The incident is currently being investigated. Condolences to the families of the deceased,” he tweeted.

India expressed grief over the fire and said that it was in close contact with authorities.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic fire incident in Malé which has caused loss of lives, including reportedly of Indian nationals. We are in close contact with the Maldivian authorities,” High Commission of India in Maldives said in a tweet.

Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid expressed his condolences to the victims of the fire incident in Male.

“Deeply saddened by the news of a tragic fire in Male', that has taken the lives of 10 expatriate workers and affected several families. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased and affected. A full investigation is underway,” Abdulla Shahid tweeted.

Foreign workers are said to make up about half of Male's 250,000-strong population and mostly hail from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.