18 Injured as Fire Destroys Sh. Funadhoo's Only Petrol Shed, Island Left Without Fuel

Eighteen people were injured when a fire broke out at a privately operated petrol shed in Shaviyani Atoll Funadhoo on Sunday morning, causing extensive damage to nearby properties and leaving the island without fuel, police have confirmed. The Maldives Police Service said it received a report of the fire at 8:15 am on Sunday. The blaze was fully extinguished by 12:05 pm, with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), police officers and local residents working together to bring it under control. According to police, the fire spread from the petrol shed at Funadhoo harbour to a garage that repairs motorcycles and engines, a warehouse, a small vehicle-parking garage, and a home where people were living. All of these were burnt to the point of being unusable. A total of 18 people sustained injuries or required medical care, including a firefighter and a hospital employee who were treated for smoke inhalation. Police said the other 16 people suffered injuries of varying degrees while trying to escape and salvage belongings, with some needing treatment for panic and distress. The scene has been cordoned off, and a special team from the Major Crime Investigation unit of the Maldives Police Service is scheduled to travel to Sh. Funadhoo on Monday to further investigate the cause of the fire, which has not yet been established. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has begun identifying people in need of humanitarian assistance and providing support. The petrol shed, named 'Fathmini', was the island's only fuel station, operated by a private business. With the shed destroyed, Funadhoo has run out of petrol, and the island council is reported to be in discussions with the government to find ways to secure fuel supplies.