Lightning kills father of two, destroys house and property
Forty-two-year-old A.H.M. Namal Bandara, a father of two living at Siyambalawewa Wadaththa, Anamaduwa, was killed while trying to disconnect a refridgerator in his house during a rainstorm, according to the police.
Describing the incident Bandara's wife said, they were taking a bath when lightning struck a place close to where they were bathing. She said her husband had run into the house to disconnect the refridgerator when he was electrocuted.
Continuing, she added that she and some neighbours rushed him to hospital, where he was pronounced dead on admission.
Police reports revealed that lightening had struck a neighbours house where it short-circuited wires and led to that house being engulfed in flames. Police believe the short-circuit affected the house of the deceased as well.
Ms. A.H.M. Kalyani, the owner of the house which burned down said she and her family were lucky to be alive. She said when lightening first struck nearby there were five persons sleeping in the house, including a small child. She said she woke them up and moved them to a neighbours house.
No sooner my husband three sons, grandson and I left, our house was hit by lihgtning. Had we not left we would all be dead she sighed.
The bolt of lightening hit the chair my younger son was seated in. Lightning struck coconut trees in our garden, damaged the electricity meters and destroyed all the electrical equipment in our house’ she claimed.
After we left, all of a sudden our house went up in flames. We ran back and tried to douse the flames. If we had not left we would have all died she added.
'The fire travelled along the live wires to Namal’s house and killed him.We were saved, but his wife and children are now helpless".
Neighbours said the two children aged 13 and 9 years were attending, Anamaduwa Siyambalagashena Vidyalaya and with the death of their father the family had become helpless.