UPDATE: Maradana fire claims three lives
Three people were killed in a fire which erupted at a restaurant in Maradana on Monday. The fire broke out at around 1 p.m.
The rescue operations to retrieve those who were trapped inside the burning building, were hindered due to the conjoined buildings and a lack of entry points.
The bodies of the three people who were trapped inside the burning building could only be recovered after the fire was extinguished.
A resident of the area noted that he did not think about his own life during that moment as the heat was overwhelming.
The three people who were trapped inside had tried to get out, fearing for their lives. Two bodies were found in the bathroom while the other was found under the sink.
Divisional Operations Officer of the Fire Department R. G. Wijesuriya noted that they were informed of a fire in the Maradana area around 1 p.m. and that they dispatched several vehicles from the Maradana headquarters immediately.
He said however that the vehicles could not reach the location in time due to traffic. The spread of the fire was controlled but three people were trapped inside. The fire was caused by a gas leak due to 6 or 7 gas cylinders. The gas had leaked out of the cylinder due to the heat.
Director of the National Hospital Anil Jasinghe stated that three individuals were brought in around 2 in the evening. All three were males and were pronounced dead on arrival. He said that there weren’t any major burn injuries which might have been caused by the fire.
The initial conclusion on the cause of death would be asphyxiation or inhaling of noxious gases.
The post UPDATE: Maradana fire claims three lives appeared first on Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst | News1st | newsfirst.lk | Breaking.