Tag: fire

Police play down political motivation for burglaries, dhoni fire

Politicians and public figures linked to both government-aligned parties and the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) have raised concerns about a spate of potentially politically motivated crimes, though police urge caution in drawing early conclusions.

Early this morning, the Maldivian National Defence Force (MNDF) confirmed that its fire team put out a blaze that badly damaged a dhoni based in the waters around Hulhumale’. The vessel has since been confirmed to belong to high-profile Jumhooee Party (JP) member Mohamed ‘Inthi’ Imthiyaz, who recently left the MDP.

Both the MNDF and the Maldives Police Service confirmed to Minivan News that they were currently investigating the cause of the blaze, stressing it was too early to tell if the incident was being treated as arson or an accident.

The fire, which saw a man hospitalised with severe burns, is the third incident involving prominent political figures to be investigated by police during the last three days.

Police have confirmed they are also looking into break-ins that occurred Saturday morning at offices belonging to Vice-President designate Waheed Deen and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Interim Chairperson ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik. Both offices are based in the same building in the capital of Male’.

Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef said that forensic analysis of both these crime scenes and the dhoni fire were under way, but said that it was not yet possible to ascertain if there was any link between the incidents. Sub-Inspector Haneef added that findings from the cases would be cross referenced, but he did not wish to speculate if a common motivation existed between the incidents before ongoing investigations were concluded.

Dhoni fire

Addressing the dhoni fire today, vessel owner Mohamed Imthiyaz said that he was also unsure if his boat was destroyed intentionally or by an accidental fire.

However, Imthiyaz claimed that the blaze occurred after he had received threatening messages from alleged MDP supporters after making a public speech two days ago criticising the party. Imthiyaz was himself previously a member of the MDP before joining the JP, which is part of the coalition government of President Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

“I have received [SMS] threats from people I know are MDP supporters and I have passed on their numbers to police,” he added.

Imthiyaz said he believed that public figures needed to be “careful” about their security in the current political climate, particularly considering the potential involvement of organised crime in attacks and vandalism.

Heavy Load

A spokesperson for MDP MP Reeko Moosa Manik’s Heavy Load company was in no doubt that the enterprise had itself been the target of a political attack over the weekend.

The company’s headquarters, based in Male’s Jazeera building, was broken into early Saturday morning along with the offices of the Six Senses resort group and Vice President Deen’s Bandos Island Resort – all situated at the same address.

“[The break in] was definitely politically motivated. The intruders broke in to damage and vandalise equipment like computers that could have been taken for profit. They also wrote threats all over the walls of the office,” the Heavy Duty spokesperson said.

Following the break in at Heavy Load, local media reported yesterday that several messages were left for Moosa Manik across the office. These messages reportedly read, “Moosa, you may have escaped this time but you will be killed,” and “We will vote for you next time if you put some cash next time”.

Attacks

A number of attacks and cases of vandalism against political figures has been making headlines recently.

Late last month, three former ministers who served in the government of former President Mohamed Nasheed were reportedly attacked along with their wives on the street’s of Male’, leading to condemnation of the crime by President Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

The president has also criticised MDP supporters on his Twitter account following reports of attacks on police officers and the car of Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hassan’s during the same month.

“Violence by Nasheed’s supporters keeps increasing,” the president wrote at the time.

The MDP itself moved to issue a statement following these incidents condemning attacks on police officers and calling for supporters to mantain peaceful protests against the government it alleges has come to power in a “coup d’etat” In February.

The offices of broadcaster Villa TV (VTV) were also heavily damaged in March during clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces .

VTV is owned by MP ‘Burma’ Gasim Ibrahim, the leader of the Jumhoory Party (JP) – part of Dr Waheed’s government coalition.

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MDP donates Rf100,000 to Saamiliyya fire victims

The ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has donated Rf100,000 (US$6,485) to assist victims of a fire incident in Galolhu Saamiliyya in May this year that left its residents homeless.

The donation was handed over to the displaced families at a special ceremony at the MDP main office.

According to the party’s website, five families and one individual were living in the house in the capital Male’ when the fire broke out.

A total of Rf112,465 was raised and distributed to the victims of the fire incident.

After the incident on May 26, both the landlord and his tenants were left homeless and were temporarily relocated to the Social Centre, a building mostly used for sporting purposes and other recreational activities.

Male’ City Council told local media at the time that the council would provide all assistance possible to those affected by the fire, including financial assistance.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) meanwhile provided the homeless victims with blankets, mattresses and other necessities to make the place adequate for a temporary shelter.

Although the list of homeless people initially had 39 names on it, it was later revised, Major Abdul Raheem told Minivan News at the time.

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Expatriate workers climb to safety during Male’ apartment fire

No injuries have been reported from a fire that broke out of the Galolhu Feeroz Lodge building in Male’ this morning, after expatriate workers living at a fourth floor property escaped the blaze using ropes to climb to safety, according to new reports.

Haveeru reported that the Fire and Rescue arm of the Maldives National Defense Force’s (MNDF) put out the fire shortly after arriving to the property, which is owned by the Donad Garment Factory.

Despite damage to the fourth floor apartment, a textile storeroom situated below the location of the fire was reportedly undamaged.

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Three injured in accident at family barbecue

Founder of SALAAM School and occasional Minivan News columnist Aminath Arif has been flown to Sri Lanka for emergency treatment after suffering burns to 65 percent of her body in an accident at a family barbecue.

An Indian man who suffered burns to 90 percent of his body in the incident is reportedly in a stable condition and is being cared for by his family.

Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said the Indian man’s family had requested that his identity be withheld from the media.

Minivan News understands that the man was attempting to tend the barbecue using a 20 litre can containing flammable liquid, which caught fire and burst.

Police said both Arif and her sister were burned trying to extinguish the man who was on fire. Arif’s sister suffered burns to her hands, police said.

A friend of Arifs informed Minivan News at time of press that she was conscious and speaking, and her wounds were showing signs of healing.

“She was really strong. She kept under control and did not panic,” the friend said.

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Two hospitalised in Male’ residential fire

Two people were hospitalised as a blaze destroyed the G. Saalimeege residential building in the centre of Male’ this morning .

Police confirmed that no fatalities had been recorded.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam told Minivan News that the fire, which was believed to have started around 9:30am this morning, was now under control and an investigations had been launched to determine its probable cause.

A number of roads surrounding the blaze were closed off by police and members of the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF). Minivan News observed that thick clouds of smoke emanating from the fire were still visible around the nearby Majlis building late in the morning.

Shiyam claimed that although all residents were believed to have been successfully evacuated from the building, it was unlikely they would be able to return as the wooden structure was completely destroyed.

He added that residents of the neighbouring building, G. Suthulige, were also evacuated as the fire spread causing further damage to additional properties.

Nearby furniture store Allora was also said to have been impacted by smoke from the blaze, though police said they were not aware of any damage to property at the site.

“Everybody was evacuated from the buildings although two people were hospitalised due to inhaling smoke from the fire,” Shiyam added.  “We are not aware of any fatalities resulting from the fire.”

Local newspaper Haveeru reported that MNDF firefighters had initially run out of water tackling the blaze.  However, the MNDF turned instead to a more plentiful supply in the form of the sea, opting to pipe water directly from the harbour opposite the President’s office on Boduthakurufaanu Magu.

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Fire triggered from Orchid house’s electricity meter board, says MNDF

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Fire department has said that investigation into the fatal fire in Orchid this week had revealed that the fire was sparked by a faulty electricity meter board in the house.

‘’The fire started from the meter board and spread, and turned to a huge fire,’’ said the MNDF in a statement, suggesting that the cause of the fire incident was electricity.

MNDF said that the fire department first received the information at 9:21am in the morning, and the fire department attended the area and tried to control the fire at 9:27 am.

At 9:57 that morning, MNDF said that “90 percent” of the fire was under control.

‘’While they were trying to control the fire firefighters received information that two persons were stuck inside , as soon as officers knew about it, a team from the fire department entered the house searching for the two persons,’’ MNDF said. ‘’When officers found the two persons they were inside a 15 ft-9 ft room build on a wooden deck which was severely damaged by fire when officers reached there.’’

MNDF said that officers had noticed that neither of the two persons were showing any movement when they were discovered and that their bodies had been severely burned by the fire.

There were three women and one man in the house when the incident occurred, two of them died while the third was a maid in the house who escaped on her own, said the MNDF.

The man received minor injuries during attempts to save the other two women, however after he escaped through the window to get someone to assist him to rescue to the two inside, the fire spread and he was unable to get back inside afterwards, according to the MNDF.

The identities of the two victims were identified as Iuthisham Adam and Dhon Sitthi of Haaji Edhuru, the mother of both Deputy Health Minister Fathimath Afiya and Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the UN in Geneva, Iruthisham Adam.

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Resort coffee shop destroyed in fire

A coffee shop on Eriyadhoo Resort in Kaafu Atoll was destroyed in a fire this morning, reports Haveeru.

A nearby pool room was also damaged in the blaze, which took hold at around 1:40am.

Resort staff extinguished the fire in two hours, at 3:30am. Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) firefighters arrived at 4:00am.

“It’s difficult to say the exact cost of the damage, but the whole coffee shop and the bar has been burnt to rubble,” the resort’s manager Mohamed Ijaz told Haveeru, estimating that the damage was around Rf 5 million (US$390,000).

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No injuries reported in Male’ cemetery fire

No injuries have been recorded following a fire that damaged equipment and a cemetery building yesterday in Machangoalhi, Male’, local new reports have said.

Police authorities have confirmed that the blaze struck a second floor block used as staff accommodation at the “Aaa Sahara” cemetery, according to Haveeru.

The Maldives National Defence Force’s (MNDF) Fire and Rescue department dealt with the blaze, whilst police are now investigating the possible causes of the fire, the report added.

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