Priority to address immediate needs of those affected: Defense Minister Mariya
Minsiter of Defense Mariya Ahmed Didi stated that their priority, as with other fires, would be to work with NDMA to meet the immediate needs of those affected
Minister of Defense Mariya Ahmed Didi had been active near the burning building as MNDF officers got the fire under control
Minister of Defense Mariya Ahmed Didi has stated that the top priority of the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) at this time, is to asses the immediate needs of those affected by the fire that broke out in Male' City on Thursday morning.
A fire had been reported to MNDF from Morning View 3, a home in Macchangoalhi ward of Male' City, at 5am on Thursday.
Speaking to Raajje TV while active at the scene of the fire, Minister of Defense Mariya Ahmed Didi stated that their top priority of MNDF at this time was to work with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to provide temporary housing to those affected by the fire. Minister Mariya stated that efforts were underway to assess their needs, and remarked that they had all been very shaken by the tragedy. She stated that Thursday morning's fire was doubly disastrous, as a number of people had gathered due to the fire at a time Male' City had been placed under partial lockdown due to Covid-19.
In reference to allegations by Male' City Mayor Dr. Mohamed Muizzu that the MNDF's response had been delayed, Minister Mariya said now was not the time for political rhetoric, and assured authorities would be addressing any concerns of the public in relation to their disaster response.
When prompted by Minister Mariya, MNDF officer Faiz, who was also at the scene, confirmed that a MNDF fire and rescue vehicle had arrived to put out the fire within two minutes of it being reported. He added that Morning View 3 was a largely wood-based structure, and that the fire had caught and spread quickly as a result. MNDF officer Faiz confirmed that nearby houses remained largely undamaged from the blaze, and revealed that some injuries had also been reported from broken windows and the like from those gathered on the street.
In an interview with Raajje TV, a resident of the house where the fire broke out confirmed that MNDF had arrived shortly after they had reported the fire. However, he added that precious minutes had been lost as officers had debated how best to access the fire with their equipment from the street. MNDF fire and rescue had declined from entering nearby homes to get a better vantage point, in light of the prevailing threat of Covid-19.
The residents of Morning View 3 are also unsure of how the fire broke out, and MNDF fire and rescue teams have now entered the building to conduct further assessments. The Maldives Police Service (MPS) is now investigating the fire, and are returning residents who were evacuated from nearby buildings back to their homes.
