Maldives Police Service announced on Tuesday that they believe the fire at Kakaage house in Kulhudhuffushi, Haa Dhaalu Atoll, was set deliberately by arsonists.
Police disclosed that the incident was reported at around 0410hrs early Tuesday, when a motorcycle in Kakaage caught fire. By the time Police arrived on scene, the fire had spread to the rain gutter, part of the ceiling and a pickup truck.
Nahaage, adjacent to Kakaage, also was affected by the blaze. However, the incident resulted in no casualties.
A local from the island told local media that the motorcycle was the property of an individual from Nolhivaram island, who was renting a room in Kakaage and running a shop in the house. He was reportedly in Nolhivaram at the time of the fire.
"He has been travelling between [Kulhuduffushi] and Nolhivaram for years but it has been about three or four years since he rented the shop in that house", the islander said.
According to him, perpetrators set the motorcycle on fire by climbing the gate and using a cloth wrapped at the end of a stick. Media reports state that the stick was found at the crime scene.