Thursday 19 Mar 2026
Firefighters continue working to put out the fire that started at Prime Godown on Izzuddin Magu, Male' city on March 18, 2026. (Sun Photo/Aaish Ashraf)
A fire occurring at the Prime warehouse on Izzuddin Magu, Male' City, has necessitated the emergency evacuation of an adjacent election center. The incident, reported around 21:30, prompted immediate action from the Maldives National Defence Force and police, who are actively working to contain the blaze. While the Election Commission has confirmed that no election documents were compromised, they have prudently suspended the candidate representative signing process for the final voter register. This disruption occurs during a critical phase of preparation for the upcoming referendum and local council elections scheduled for the 4th of next month.
A fire has broken out inside the Prime warehouse on Izzuddin Magu in Male' City, prompting the evacuation of the nearby election center.
The fire originated in a warehouse near M. Thoiba Mosque. A source in the area told Sun the incident occurred at around 21:30.
In a post on X, the Election Commission (EC) said the election center is adjacent to the warehouse. The commission confirmed that no election documents have been damaged, but said staff are now clearing the center as a precaution.
The EC has also suspended the process of signing the final voter register by candidates’ representatives. A new date will be announced later.
The incident comes as preparations are underway for two major votes scheduled for the 4th of next month, the referendum on merging the presidential and parliamentary elections, and the local council elections.
MNDF firefighters and police officers are currently working to extinguish the blaze.
