Seven individuals have been provided with temporary housing after the fire at Evening Café in Malé on Wednesday evening.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)’s Director of Emergency Management, Faroosha Ali, told Mihaaru news that two apartments in Maafannu Guleynoorammaage, located right behind Evening Café, had to be evacuated due to the fire.
The residents of these apartments have now been placed in a guest house in the capital, she said, adding that there were no structural damages to the building. They were relocated for their health and safety as the smoke had not fully cleared.
Some of the employees of the popular Indian restaurant also lived in the building where the fire started. The restaurant’s management said that they will be providing accommodation for the 25 employees who resided there.
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) said that the incident was reported at 6:10 p.m. The fire was put out in an hour, at around 7:20 p.m. The fire originated in the restaurant’s kitchen.
Some people had to be taken to the hospital due to smoke inhalation; however, no serious injuries have been reported yet.