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Musaeus blaze: Initial reports say fire started backstage
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The fire which destroyed a major part of the auditorium of Musaeus College Colombo, is believed to have sparked off from the backstage, initial observations by fire brigade officers of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) revealed. The Government Analyst Department and police officials were yesterday carrying out investigations while damage to property was being assessed.
The Acting Divisional fire officer of Colombo R.D Wijesuriya who was one among the first to arrive at the site describing the scene said they took six brigades from their unit and also called for assistance from the fire brigades of Battaramulla and the Ports Authority.
He said however when they reached the school they were forced to call for more fire engines to fight the flames. He said the seats in the auditorium were burning with the fire spreading towards the ceiling due to the heat generated by the sound proofing material. Mr. Wijesuriya said as they entered the premises they witnessed that a vast area had already been damaged by the fire and immediately started spraying water from two of the biggest fire engines and even used water from the pool and the sumps at the school to douse the fire.
CMC’s chief fire Officer Rohitha Fernando said most of the seating in the auditorium and electronic devices backstage were gutted. Meanwhile an area resident Yoga Perera said thankfully a bigger disaster was averted as the fire had broken out after school hours and there was no function at the auditorium. He said if it had occurred during school hours the traffic congestion in the area would have hindered the efforts of the fire fighters. He added as a future precautionary action, a traffic plan taking into account adequate fire gaps in the school and evacuation procedures giving easy access for the movement of ambulances and fire engines should be worked out in preparedness for such an eventuality.