Family of six given temporary shelter after Hulhumale’ apartment fire

A family of six, including two children, have been given temporary shelter by the state after a fire on Wednesday damaged their flat in Hulhumale’ Phase I.

According to the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), the fire at the ground floor apartment at Flat 141 was reported to the Hulhumale’ Fire Station at around 04:32 am.

Firefighters were immediately deployed to respond to the incident, and managed to put out the fire at around 04:58 am.

Six people, including two children, were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

A spokesperson from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) told Sun on Thursday that they have arranged temporary accommodation, food and other basic necessities for the family of six for a period of five days.

The spokesperson said that officials from the NDMA were scheduled to carry out an inspection of the flat on Thursday, following which the family will be provided with additional assistance as needed.

According to the MNDF, the fire originated from an electric water kettle in the kitchen.

Photos shared by the NDMA shows the fire caused extensive damage not just to the kitchen, but also the living room and bedrooms.