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10-year-old dies of burns from fire caused by faulty wiring
“I held the boy and assured him that everything would be fine, but his face mirrored the immense pain he was in. His skin was peeling off and sticking to my arms,” a glassy-eyed police officer recounted.
Sergeant (Sgt.) Lal Premasiri of the Ragama Police Crimes Division, was recounting his harrowing attempt to save 10-year-old Shehara Mendis, a Grade 5 student of St. Benedict’s College, who was trapped inside a house on fire.
“I was the duty officer around 12.35 am, when I got a call from the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Crimes that a house nearby was on fire, I rushed there with a team of police officers,” he said.
Sgt. Lal Premasiri: Recalls harrowing experience
The police team, on arrival, saw a woman with severe burns on her hands and legs, hugging a child, also with burns, seated on the road. They were rushed to the Ragama Teaching Hospital. A man trapped on the roof was shouting that their son was missing.
Then Sgt Premasiri climbed up a wall and broke into the upper floor. “The doors and windows were closed, with no way for the smoke to exit, and the cement floor was hot. I started looking for the boy with the help of my phone torch, and found him seated on the floor near a bedroom door. He was staring at me,” he added.
Unfortunately, after struggling for several hours, Shehara died while undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Ragama Teaching Hospital.
“The sofa-set and the computer in the living room were in flames. The only staircase that led to the three-bed roomed upper floor was engulfed in flames. The staircase was adjoining the sofa and computer plug point. My son, daughter-in-law and their two children were trapped inside,” said Shehara’s grandmother Princy Fernando.
Shehara’s father, mother Srimalee and his seven-year-old sister Shenara, all of whom suffered severe burns, are presently under treatment at the Ragama Teaching Hospital’s ICU.
Ragama Police OIC Rohan Pushpakumara said that investigations were ongoing, and a Magisterial inquiry had been fixed for October 18. Deputy Government Analyst, A. Welianga said that the fire was caused by an electrical fault and the foam material of the sofa nearby helped spread the fire.
“It is not arson. This was a result of poor electrical wiring,” he said.Senior lecturer in Electrical Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Dr. Asanka Rodrigo said that fires ignite due to a short circuit, loose connection and use of extension cords for a number of appliances, resulting in power overload.
A tender moment: Shehara with his little sister Shenara
“It is important to have a circuit breaker, also known as fuse and a trip-switch at home. The sparks from a loose socket can lead to a fire. Also, when using extension cords for computers, it is important to avoid the use of many electrical equipment for the same extension, resulting in the cable unable to cope with the increased load,” he added.
Dr. Rodrigo said it is necessary to regularly check the wiring in old buildings and rewire if necessary, and test the whole system after an extension.
At present, Sri Lanka does not have its own wiring regulations, and follow the United Kingdom’s IEE wiring regulations.
He said that, at present, there are sub-standard multi plugs sold even on streets.
“These are brought in the baggage from China. There is no monitoring or inspection,” he added. According to him, curtains and sofa’s that catch fire easily, should be positioned away from power points or extensions.
Safety precautions to avoid electrical fires within buildings
- Install quality circuit breakers and trip switches.
- Routinely check electrical appliances and wiring
- Replace old or damaged wires and cords.
- Use electrical extension cords wisely; never overload extension cords or wall sockets
- Do not purchase substandard electrical products including multi-sockets
- Keep sofas, curtains and other combustible items at least three feet from all electrical outlets.
- Ensure electrical products are child-proof
- Handle electrical appliances with care
- Switch off if not being used
Chief Fire Officer, Fire Brigade- P.N.R. Fernando
 Charred remains: The sitting room area of the house. Pix by Indika Handuwala |
 A photograph from the family album |
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