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39-year-old father of 2 dies of burns from kerosene-lamp fire
View(s):A 39-year-old father of two succumbed to burn injuries he sustained from a kerosene lamp fire at his residence in Dolkadeniya.The victim, Patabedige Sarath Wijeratne, a carpenter employed in a matchbox factory in Dummalasooriya, was initially admitted to Marawila hospital and later transferred to the National Hospital.His 16-year-old son, Sajith Madhushan giving evidence, said that, after dinner they went to sleep, his father slept on the ground in the adjoining room.
The kerosene lamp was placed on the windowsill eight feet above the floor in the room where his father slept. “Around 11.30 p.m, we saw a huge fire in his room. We splashed water on him and took him to hospital,” he said. The Colombo National Hospital JMO, Dr (Mrs) A.S. Sopiyaa said that death was due to severe burn injuries and heart failure.