Neelan Fihaara blaze: City council workers to be moved to Farukolhufushi

Arrangements have been made to move the Male’ City Council workers affected in the blaze which spread from the Neelan Fihaara – an unregulated auction marketplace - to the accommodation block for the council’s migrant workers earlier Monday, to Farukolhufushi, according to the President’s Office (PO).

The fire affected total 202 city council workers.

They were initially taken to a makeshift relief center set up at the Imaaduddin School.

PO’s spokesperson Miuvaan Mohamed told Sun on Monday night that arrangements have been made to accommodate the workers at Farukolhufushi.

But the responsibility to provide alternative accommodation for the workers affected in the fire had been the city council’s and not the central government’s, he said.

Muivaan said that the responsibility of providing alternative accommodation falls on the employer.

It had been Afcons which arranged accommodation for their workers affected in the fire at Gulhifalhu back in December, he said.

The fire broke out at the Neelan Fihaara at approximately 06:00 am Monday. The fire was controlled through joint effort of the police, MNDF and civilians at approximately 07:30 am.

The Neelan Fihaara is not new to fire incidents. Fires broke out at the marketplace in 2015 and 2017. Authorities suspect foul play in both cases.

The latest fire took place shortly after the marketplace was reopened despite forced closure by the city council.