Two young children from the same family died after inhaling smoke from a fire that broke out in their hotel room in Batticaloa on Wednesday (May 27), Newswire reported.
The victims, a three-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl, had travelled from Badulla to Batticaloa with their father to visit their mother, who is receiving residential treatment for cancer at the Batticaloa Hospital.
Hotel staff and nearby residents noticed heavy smoke coming from the room and forced the door open before rushing inside. The two children were found unconscious under a bed, overcome by smoke, and were taken to hospital. They had reportedly died before admission.
Police said investigations into the cause of the fire are underway.
Update May 29: Batticaloa Police later arrested the children’s father on May 28 over alleged fraud. Investigators say the hotel room was locked from the outside and that the mother is not suffering from cancer and is residing at her home in Matara, contrary to the initial account.
The deaths follow a major blaze on Colombo’s Dam Street earlier this month that required ten fire engines to control, underscoring recurring concerns over fire safety in densely occupied buildings. A separate inspection earlier this month found serious health and safety violations at another Batticaloa hotel, which was ordered sealed by health authorities.
