Five Bangladeshi nationals were killed and two others injured in a gas-related fire at a labour quarters on Digurah Island in the Maldives early Friday, officials said.

According to Sohail Parvez, labour counsellor at the Bangladesh High Commission in the Maldives, the casualties occurred at a company’s labour accommodation where several Bangladeshi workers were staying.

The deceased were identified as Taj Uddin Islam, Sadar Ali, Robin Molla, Sofiqul Islam and Nurnabi Sarker.

Two other Bangladeshis—Jamal Uddin and Saddam Hossain—were injured in the incident and are currently undergoing treatment.

Eyewitnesses and local media reports said the fire broke out while some workers were preparing sehri meals, leaving seven Bangladeshis severely burned.

They were quickly rescued and taken to a nearby hospital where five of them succumbed to their injuries. The two critically injured workers were later transferred to the capital, Malé, for advanced treatment.

Among the injured, one is receiving treatment in the intensive care unit while the other is being treated in the emergency department, said Parvez.

A total of 38 Bangladeshi workers were staying in the quarters, but the others were asleep in separate rooms at the time of the incident.

A team from the Bangladesh High Commission has already travelled to the island to gather details about the incident and assist the victims.

The labour counsellor also said steps are being taken to send the bodies of the deceased back to Bangladesh as soon as possible.

Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

Ibrahim Usman, president of the Digurah Island Council, told local media that some residents were asleep when the fire broke out.

Preliminary reports suggest that the blaze may have been triggered by a gas leak during cooking, though the exact cause will be confirmed after a police investigation.