12 Killed in Fire at Elderly Care Facility in Sri Lanka; Probe Underway

COLOMBO: As many as 12 people have been confirmed dead in a fire that broke out in an elderly care facility in Sri Lanka's Western Province late Wednesday evening, local police said on Thursday.

According to the local authorities, following the incident in Anguruwatota, Horana, rescuers managed to safely evacuate 44 individuals from the facility without injuries, while seven others were wounded and rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, Xinhua news agency reported.

Three people are currently unaccounted for, the authorities added. The exact cause of the fire is still being investigated. The Director of the facility has been remanded until June 11 by the Horana Magistrate's Court, local media reported.

According to leading Lankan media outlet Ada Derana, six individuals were admitted to the hospital with serious injuries. They are currently receiving inpatient treatment at the Horana Base Hospital. Around 50 people, who survived the fire, were temporarily accommodated at the Batagoda Junior School on Wednesday night. (IANS)

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