The fire which broke out at Sh. Funadhoo petrol shed has now spread to a large area, affecting four homes and five garages. 

Authorities have evacuated these homes and relocated the residents to safety. 

Response teams are still working on controlling and extinguishing the fire which started at 7am today. 

Eye witnesses in the area report that the flames have grown beyond control after the privately owned 'Faiymini' petrol shed on the island caught fire. 

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) confirmed that four homes and five garages in the vicinity were affected. They said that the area has now been evacuated. 

The sole petrol shed in Funadhoo, located in a residential area, is burning with huge flames, and there is a risk of the fire spreading to other homes in the area, an eye witness in Funadhoo said. 

"It has not been brought under control at all yet. The fire is just growing," a Funadhoo resident said at 8:53am today. 

At around 8:37am, MNDF informed media that fire fighters from HDh. Kulhudhuffushi Fire Station were travelling to Funadhoo. 

"The airport's fire fighters are working on extinguishing the fire," MNDF said then. 

A Funadhoo resident said that the scheduled 9:45am Maldivian flight to Funadhoo had rerouted and gone to N. Maafaru International Airport instead. As the airport's fire department is involved in responding to the petrol shed fire, it is unclear when flights can resume in Funadhoo.