All the necessary information for investigating the fire that destroyed a government building housing three ministries has been shared with a team of Indian investigative experts, according to the Maldives Police Service (MPS).
The fire broke out early on the morning of 12 December, causing severe damage to the building that housed the Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Development, and the Ministry of Construction and Infrastructure. The adjacent Green Building, home to the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, also sustained damage. An office of the Malé City Council was located within the affected premises.
The team of experts from India, who are assisting the police in determining the cause of the fire, joined MPS investigations on 20 December. The visiting team left on 22 December after collecting all required information, inspecting the fire site, and receiving photographs, videos, and CCTV footage of the incident, according to police. Despite their departure, the Indian experts are continuing to provide technical assistance, MPS assured.
The authorities are currently undertaking an extensive investigation to determine the cause of the fire. Earlier, they assured reporters of their confidence in identifying the cause with the assistance of the expert investigative team from abroad. According to the police, measures will be implemented to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future, based on the investigation's findings.
MPS also urged the public to support the investigation by sharing any information that could be helpful with the Major Crime Investigation Department. Following the devastation of the government building, the services and operations of the three affected ministries were relocated to the Dharubaaruge convention centre.