COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Twelve residents lost their lives and eight sustained injuries when flames engulfed a care facility in western Sri Lanka, authorities reported Thursday.
The blaze erupted late Wednesday evening at the facility located in Anguruwatota town. According to police spokesman Fredrick Wootler, 51 residents were successfully evacuated from the building. Wootler noted that the facility also provided care for individuals with mental health conditions.
Authorities have taken the facility’s director into custody on charges related to causing deaths through negligence. Officials are conducting a full investigation into the incident.
Video from Associated Press revealed the building’s interior completely destroyed, with burned furniture and equipment scattered throughout. Victims’ bodies were visible in the surrounding area.
Television footage from local channel Hiru captured firefighters, law enforcement officers, and community members working together to battle the intense flames. Emergency responders and military personnel helped evacuate survivors onto buses, transporting them to secure locations.
