Feeali harbor blaze: Fire engulfs boats, fuel shed, ice plant; one injured with serious burns

A massive fire that broke out at the harbor of F. Feeali on Thursday resulted in serious burns to at least one person, as flames spread to multiple boats, as well as the ice plant and fuel shed in the island.

The fire, which originated from a fuel boat, was reported to the authorities at around 09:15 am.

Firefighters from the F. Nilandhoo Fire Station and the Dh. Kudahuvadhoo Fire Station, along with police and relevant authorities worked to contain the fire.

A local told Sun that the fire broke out as the fuel boat turned on the pump as it docked at the harbor to offload fuel.

The fire on the fuel boat spread to three fishing boats at the harbor, and also to the island’s ice plant and fuel shed, setting the dispenser and parts of the shed ablaze.

The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) said that one person – a Bangladeshi man working on the fuel boat – sustained serious burns in the incident and was rushed to the Feeali Health Center.

Eye witnesses reported that the authorities were using water and foam to battle the fire.

The firefighters managed to put out the fire at around 10:35 am.