Stocking fuel at home an invitation for a tragedy

Afour-year-old girl lies in a hospital bed at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital with minor burn injuries, unaware that her parents and only sister who she was sleeping with a few days ago are no longer alive.

Police suspect the house fire which claimed the lives of three family members in Homagama was triggered by a small can of petrol they had kept indoors for personal use.

Electrician Buddhika Ranasinghe, 47, and his wife Nalika Devi, 35, died from severe burn injuries within 24 hours of the fire. Mr Buddhika, who suffered over 80 percent burn injuries to his body died on admission to Homagama Base Hospital, while his wife died at the Colombo National Hospital. On June 29, their eldest daughter Kavindi, too, died at the National Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.

LRH Deputy Director Dr H.S.J. Senapathi said the youngest daughter was being treated for 13% injuries mainly to her abdomen and lower limbs. She is at the hospital with an aunt, unaware of the fate of her parents and sister.

Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said the initial investigation had revealed traces of evaporated petrol and a bottle that contained petrol.

“Storing fuel inside houses without a valid permit is not only illegal, but also puts the lives of family members at risk,” he cautioned.

The Colombo Municipal Council Fire Brigade’s Chief Fire Officer, P. D. K. A. Wilson, said power cuts had prompted many to use match sticks, candles, and kerosene lamps indoors, while also keeping cans of petrol and kerosene inside homes.

“Smoking, lighting incense, lamps, mosquito coils and faulty wiring, combined with fuel, even vapour can cause a fire. As soon as there is a power cut all electrical appliances should be switched off and plugs removed [from sockets],” he said.

“Leave fuel cans/ bottles in a ventilated

area. A tiny spark even from a plug point can result in a fire claiming lives,” he said.

Cans and bottles used to store fuel should be leakproof, he advised.

Smoking cigarettes indoors, or even burning incense is highly risky in a house where fuel is stored, he said.

Also, children could end up accidentally drinking kerosene at home. This is a leading cause of hospitalisation of children, said Dr. Waruna Gunatilake, former Head of the Toxicology and National Poisons Information Centre. Kerosene must not be stored in empty beverage bottles and should be kept out of reach of children.