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Sri Lanka Nursing Home Fire Claims 13 Lives
5 Jun
Summary
- A fire at an unregistered mental health facility in Sri Lanka resulted in 13 deaths.
- The facility was overcrowded, housing 71 residents in a space meant for about 15.
- The home's director has been arrested on suspicion of causing deaths through negligence.
A tragic fire at an unregistered nursing home in Anguruwatota, Sri Lanka, has resulted in 13 fatalities. The facility, which housed 71 individuals with mental illnesses, was significantly overcrowded, designed for only about 15 people. The blaze, suspected to have originated from an electrical short circuit linked to a water pump, quickly engulfed the building. Neighbors, firefighters, and police rescued 50 residents, but 10 were trapped and died in the fire, with three more succumbing to injuries later in the hospital.
The director of the home has been arrested on suspicion of causing deaths through negligence and has been ordered detained for a week pending investigation. Officials had previously warned the unregistered institution to comply with regulations. Survivors have been moved to a nearby, properly registered nursing home, while the burned-out structure now stands as a grim reminder of the disaster.
