Faafu Feeali Island Council has called on the government to accelerate the reconstruction of the island’s ice plant, which was destroyed in a fire that broke out in April.
According to the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam met with representatives of the Feeali Council, the Women’s Development Committee and the constituency’s MP Ahmed Aslam on Wednesday to discuss issues affecting the island.
During the meeting, council representatives requested an immediate solution to the damage caused by the fire and urged the government to fast-track the rebuilding of the ice plant, which plays an important role in supporting the local fisheries sector.
The discussions also focused on plans to develop a sport fishing pond on the island, as well as opportunities for further growth in the fisheries and agriculture sectors.
The fire occurred on 9 April when a blaze broke out on a fuel boat docked at Feeali harbour. The fire spread to three nearby vessels before reaching the island’s ice plant, which was located approximately 15 feet from the boat.
The ice plant had been brought into operation in June last year. According to the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO), the facility was handed over by Fenaka on 1 September 2025.
The incident also resulted in serious injuries. A foreign worker who suffered severe burns in the fire was transferred to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) for treatment but later died on 7 May.
Following the incident, the Feeali Council met with police and raised concerns regarding damage caused to vehicles and other infrastructure on the island. The council also called for the investigation into the fire to be completed as soon as possible in order to establish the cause of the incident.
