Harbour fire victims remain hospitalised

Seven Maldivians and two expatriates suffered injuries in a dangerous fire accident at Malé’s southwest harbour on Monday afternoon.

The fire broke out around 3:30pm while a fuel bowser was refuelling a speedboat. Two other fuel bowsers also caught on fire and the Nevi-3 speedboat sank when the fire was put out.

The military’s fire and rescue service was able to respond immediately due to the close proximity of the fire station near the industrial village, a reclaimed area in the capital’s southwestern corner. Members of the public joined soldiers and police officers to move away fuel bowsers and other vehicles as anchored boats left the harbour. Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames around 5pm.

The nine injured men were rushed to the nearby Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital. Two were discharged after treatment and six were admitted with burns, one of whom at the intensive care unit, a hospital spokesman told the Maldives Independent.