Four expat workers injured in gas explosion

Aug 24, 2026, 8:49 AM
Police at the scene of the incident. -- Photo: NDA

Police at the scene of the incident. -- Photo: NDA

Four people have been injured following a gas cylinder explosion at a migrant residence in the capital, Male'.

In a message to the media, the police confirmed the injuries, noting that two of the victims are in serious condition.

According to the police, the injured include two Bangladeshi nationals and two Indian nationals. All four are currently receiving treatment at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).

The incident occurred at Mahchangolhi Dhoogas, a residence located in a narrow alley opposite the ADK Pharmacy on Maaveyo Magu. Police stated that the explosion triggered a fire within the building.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has since extinguished the fire, police confirmed.

This incident follows a similar tragedy in March, where five Bangladeshi expatriates—Shafiqul Islam, MD Sadar Ali, Tajuddin Islam, MD Robin Molla, and MD Nabisarkar—lost their lives in a gas-related incident on Alif Alif Dhigurah.

Furthermore, a major fire in Male' in November 2022 claimed the lives of 10 expatriates, nine of whom were Indian nationals.

Official statistics indicate that one in every three residents in the Maldives is a foreign national, though informal estimates suggest the figure may be much higher. Many migrant workers in the country live in overcrowded, substandard conditions that often lack adequate safety measures.

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