By: Fathimath Lauza
The death toll from the deadly fire in the city has risen to 10. The fire broke out at the junction of Iskandar Road and Korkendi Road in Male’ at around 00:30 pm November 10. In a garage at the bottom of a house called M. Nirufehi. The fire in the garage was brought under control after about 2 hours .The Fire and Rescue Service is being supported by the Maldives Police Service, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), and Maldivian Red Crescent. The body of another person was found inside the house. The death toll has risen to 10, the MNDF said. The bodies were taken to the Galolhu Mortuary. All the deceased were foreigners. They include people from Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
Fourteen people were rescued from the building, police said. One person is being treated at the hospital. Police said the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. There were gas cylinders inside the garage. It is not yet known what the place is and who owns it. The house, which reportedly caught fire, is occupied by a large number of foreigners. This is the highest number of deaths in a fire incident in Maldives..
A word from a survivor
The young man, who was among the nine survivors of the fire, said the house was built on three floors and had a garage on the ground floor. The first fire broke out in the garage. The rooms they lived in were directly above the garage, so the fire first affected the staircase.
“When I leave the room, the stairs are on fire. Then I jumped down the stairs. I don’t look at that time. I hear everyone crying and screaming,” he said.
He came downstairs crying to make sure everyone could hear him, but eight other people heard him and came out. They were in the room closest to the stairs. When the rest of the people reached the stairs, there was no way to get off the stairs. The stairs were on fire.
When he gets outside, he sees the police. Black head smoke is visible. He could hear the cries and screams of about forty people who lived in the house with him. He still seems to describe the sight and sound.
Families and friends of the 10 people who died in the incident.
Families and friends of the 10 people who died in the incident have now gathered at the morgue door. While they are living in a strange country, foreigners treat everyone as one family. So today they are suffering the loss of family members. Each of them was holding a photo of their friend and asking each other how he was doing.
Those who worked closest with them and those who have family members in the country stand in the waiting area of the mortuary as they are ushered inside the cemetery, and every time the main door opens you see unstoppable tears flowing from each of their eyes.
The three-storey house has a garage at the bottom while Indian, Maldivian and Bangladeshi workers lived on the upper two floors. The fire, which has been the scene of two previous fires, was extinguished last night, killing many people.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
In a tweet, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said, “The fire incident in the city yesterday is very sad. Several people were killed and a large number of others injured in the incident. The incident is being investigated. “ The President also sent his condolences to the families of the victims.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih today asked the authorities to strengthen monitoring of foreigners’ residences and formulate a plan to relocate workshops and garages in the city as soon as possible. The President has asked the government authorities to expedite the investigation into the cause of the incident. The President has asked the government authorities to expedite the investigation into the cause of the incident. The meeting was attended by heads of the army, police and Disaster Management Authority.
After the meeting, the President’s Office issued a statement saying that the information on the incident should be provided as transparently as possible and the cause of the incident should be investigated immediately. “The President has instructed the relevant authorities to identify the victims, conduct the funeral arrangements and provide assistance to the victims,” the President’s Office said. “In addition, the President assured that the government will take necessary measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.”
Maldives Foreign Minister
Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid has sent his condolences to the Foreign Ministers of India and Bangladesh. Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid has condoled the deaths of Indian and Bangladeshi citizens in the fire incident in Male’ on Wednesday night. Abdul Momen by phone to express his condolences.
The Minister expressed his condolences to the families of the victims of the incident on behalf of the people and the Government of Maldives. At the same time, a full investigation is being conducted into the incident. The Minister assured that the Government of Maldives would provide full assistance and cooperation through the High Commissions of the two countries during this difficult times.
“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 families of the deceased and affected. A full investigation is underway. “
External Affairs minister Dr.S.Jaishankar replied with a tweet:
“Deeply grieved by the tragic loss of lives in a fire incident in Male today. Full details regarding Indians being ascertained by the High Commission who are contacting affected families.”
Indian high commission in Maldives
Also Indian high commission in Maldives thanked Maldivian authorities, NGOs and community members who have been providing necessary support to the evacuees.
Maldives Police Service
The identities of some of the victims of the fire at the house in M.Nirufehi are still unknown. Police are still trying to identify the victims of Wednesday night’s fire. Police said they have not shared any such information with the families of any of the deceased.
Therefore, in order to respect the feelings of family members, police have advised not to make such information public unless it is shared with the relevant authorities. The National Disaster Management Authority has also decided not to release photos and information of the victims. The NDMA has also asked the people to respect human dignity and give priority to the feelings of their families.
The fire broke out in the house of foreigners. The house was also occupied by people from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. There were rumors circulating in the newspapers that the house was rented by a police officer. Police confirmed that the property was not rented by a police officer.
Maldives National Defence Force
Defence Minister Maria Ahmed Deedi, Chief of Defence Force Major General Abdullah Shamal and Vice Chief of Defence Force Brigadier General Abdul Raheem visited the scene of the fire.
Defence Minister Maria Ahmed Deedi
“ saddened by the loss of life in the unfortunate fire incident last night. Our heartfelt condolences to their loved ones. Our FRS @MNDF_Official made a commendable effort to minimize loss of life & property. Thank you @NDMAmv for your prompt response to assist survivors”
Major General Abdhullah Shamaal Chief of Defence Force
“I commend the mental & physical fortitude of our firefighters in their efforts to rescue lives & retrieve bodies last night, fighting through the inferno, showing exceptional bravery.Appreciate the efforts of @NDMAmv, @PoliceMv & the public in mitigating the situation.”
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has said that 29 people affected by the fire are in temporary shelters. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has provided temporary shelter to 29 people living in six households in the area. They are 15 locals and 14 foreigners.
The 15 Maldivian include 5 men and 10 women. The 14 foreigners included eight men and six women. Six children were among the victims. They have been accommodated in five guest houses.
The temporary assistance provided by the NDMA includes shelter, clothing, food and beauty products. They spent Mvr 33,500 on housing, Mvr 19,000 on clothes for the homeless, Mvr 29,000 on food and drink, and Mvr 2,633 on hygiene kits or beauty products. A total of Mvr 90,133 has been spent on the aid.
This is the first phase of the aid, which they will need for a week, the authority said. The NDMA said the Maldives Red Crescent and the Gender Ministry are working together to identify those in need of psychological first aid.
The NDMA is conducting assessments to identify the damage to the homes affected by the fire. The situation of the people in the temporary shelters is being closely monitored and additional assistance is being provided.
Some of the victims have moved to the homes of family and friends. Their situation is also being identified by the NDMA. The necessary assistance is being provided. First aid was provided by the evacuation center at the stadium.
Also at the time of the incident, Lagoons Sports Club took the initiative and immediately took the people in the building to the nearby Stadium and provided them with temporary assistance with NDMA. The fact that a private organization has taken the initiative to provide assistance to those in need in such a major incident is a testament to the cooperation and solidarity among us.
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