Woman falls through broken ceiling, dies

A servant woman in a house who fell on the staircase through the broken ceiling died on admission to Homagama Base Hospital yesterday. The victim Amarasinghe Arahchige Piyaseeli (60) was a resident of Watareka in Meegoda.

Investigations revealed that the opening at the end of the staircase leading to the upper storey which was not yet complete had been covered with planks forming a temporary ceiling. The woman had accidentally stepped on to the plank while spreading clothes to dry on the slab and had fallen on the staircase when the planks broke.

Police said the victim had been employed in the house to look after children and that she had fallen on the base of the staircase about nine feet below.

Meegoda Police are conducting further investigations.