PANADURA FIRE DESTROYS SHOPS

Arow of shops was gutted by fire Sunday midnight (24) which had caused extensive damages to three of them, the Police said. The fire that broke out in a hardware store had spread to the adjacent textile shops within minutes. However, no one was hurt in the incident.

Residents who rushed to the scene immediately informed the Police that called fire brigade engines from Kalutara and Moratuwa Municipal Councils and the Horana Urban Council.

The owners of the shops were from Totawatte, Atalugama and Panadura and they had been away at the time of the incident.

The Police said building materials included highly inflammable chemicals and thinner could have made the fire worse.

A Senior Police Officer said the fire would have sparked off due to an electrical short circuit but it was yet to be established.

He said the Police and the firemen were conducting investigations with the help of the Ceylon Electricity Board officials to establish the cause of the fire.

He said the damage caused to the property was yet to be estimated.

Meanwhile, Minister of Sports Faiszer Mustapha who rushed to the scene said the incident could not be an act of sabotage and the people must not have any misunderstanding of it.

HQI Panadura Police Thushara Indika De Silva, OIC Crimes Investigation Branch Rohana Wijeratne De Silva, Sergeants 21223 Anawaratne, 59368 Ranjith and PC 40687 Thompson are conducting investigations on the instructions of ASP Clement Fernando, and SSP Laksiri Wijesena.