The COVID Village in Hulhumale' has been allocated for the employees of Male' City Council who were affected by the fire that broke out in the secondhand items market in Male' City. A major fire broke out at the secondhand items market on January 9 in the capital city and toxic smoke has spread into the air due to the intensity of the fire.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has revealed 202 employees of the city council have now been changed to the COVID Village in Hulhumale'. NDMA also said 133 foreigners who were in the accommodation block of Rainbow Construction Private Limited have now been transferred to other accommodation blocks of the company.
The fire spread to adjacent accommodation blocks within hours as there was a short time as there was wood and flammable goods in the market. People were immediately evacuated from the accommodation blocks. The fire lasted almost three hours before it was controlled by the Fire and Rescue Team of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting, and the Maldives Police Service (MPS).