Electrical Short Circuit Caused 2024 Housing Ministry Fire, Police Say

An electrical short circuit caused the fire that destroyed a prefabricated building housing three government ministries in December 2024, according to findings from a forensic investigation.

The Maldives Police Service said today that the conclusion was reached following an examination by a specialist forensic team from India. Police released CCTV footage and provided an update on the investigation into the fire, which broke out at the Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Development complex on 11 December 2024.

According to police, forensic analysis of electrical cabling recovered from the site identified short-circuiting between two power wires.

Citing the findings of the Indian investigative team, police said the damaged wiring was located in narrow concealed spaces and ceiling ducts, making it difficult for emergency personnel to identify and extinguish pockets of fire. Police said the presence of highly flammable materials inside the building contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze.

Superintendent of Police Abdulla Rasheed said firefighters initially worked to extinguish the fire while also evacuating people and searching for areas where flames remained within the ceiling.

“Even after initial extinction efforts, Fire and Rescue officers identified lingering fire within various areas of the ceiling space,” Rasheed said.

He said the fire subsequently intensified and spread rapidly while emergency personnel were working to locate and extinguish the remaining hotspots.

CCTV footage released by police shows a security guard leaving the complex at around 6:15 am after discovering the fire and going onto the street to seek assistance.

At around 6:17 am, the guard stopped a passerby who was turning onto Ameenee Magu from Handhuvaree Hingun. The passerby used a mobile phone to alert military authorities, according to police.

The MNDF Fire and Rescue Service recorded the official report at 6:27 am. Firefighters brought the blaze under control by around 12:45 pm, but the prefabricated building was completely destroyed.

Police said 42 people have been questioned as part of the investigation. The damaged structure was dismantled under police supervision, while the site was preserved until the specialist forensic team from India arrived.

Police also said their findings were consistent with the official fire report prepared by the MNDF.

The fire caused significant losses of government records. Housing Minister Dr Ali Haidar previously said the ministry’s main servers were destroyed, resulting in the loss of employee information, project data, and administrative records.

Records relating to the government’s Binveriyaa and Gedhoruveriyaa social housing schemes were the only institutional data successfully recovered, according to the ministry.

The prefabricated building was constructed during the tenure of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu as Housing Minister.