The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has stated that 77 people have been provided temporary shelter following a fire that broke out at a warehouse in Malé City on Wednesday night.

The incident occurred at a warehouse known as “Prime Godown”, located at the junction of Izzuddin Magu and Funuhiya Magu. NDMA stated that an evacuation centre was established at the Social Centre, where 454 individuals from 15 households had registered as of 2:30 a.m. after being evacuated due to smoke.

NDMA said those registered included 69 women and 385 men, of whom 302 were expatriates. Temporary shelter was arranged for 77 individuals from 10 households, while others sought accommodation with relatives.

The authority also noted that 280 expatriates were handed over to their respective parties, while 20 individuals were assisted by the Maldivian Red Crescent. A further seven people affected by smoke inhalation were treated, with all reported to be in stable condition.

The fire was brought under control at around 11:00 p.m., with response efforts carried out by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Fire and Rescue Service, supported by the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).

Initial information indicates that the warehouse was used to store chemicals, and the structure was damaged beyond use, with several nearby vehicles also sustaining damage. NDMA confirmed that the evacuation centre has since been closed, advising those in need of assistance to contact its hotline 115.