CCTV footage has been released to the media showing two masked men setting fire to a luxury bus operating on the Kaduwela–Matara route via the Southern Expressway in a suspected arson attack at the Kaduwela main bus stand early Wednesday. 

The video captures the men walking towards the bus, igniting it, and then calmly walking away.

According to Kaduwela Police, the incident occurred between 2.30 am and 2.45 am near the weekly fair grounds. 

The blaze completely destroyed the luxury bus, while two nearby Kaduwela–Kollupitiya service buses sustained minor damage.

Police said the driver and conductor of the targeted bus had been asleep inside when the fire broke out. They escaped unharmed after another driver and conductor in a nearby bus spotted the suspects and raised the alarm.

A senior police officer stated that investigators suspect the attack may have been linked to a personal dispute. Further investigations are being carried out by the Kaduwela Police. (Newswire)

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Five people have been reported dead following a fire that broke out at a factory in the Katuwana Industrial Zone in Homagama, according to Police. 

Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, while further details, including the cause of the fire and the identities of the victims, are yet to be released. (Newswire)

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A fire has erupted at a helmet manufacturing factory located in the Industrial Zone in Homagama.

The blaze has blanketed the surrounding area in thick black smoke, raising concerns among nearby communities. 

It is reported that six fire engines from the Kotte and Dehiwala Municipal Councils have been deployed to contain the fire. (Newswire)

A fire has erupted at a helmet manufacturing factory located in the Industrial Zone in Homagama. It is reported that six fire engines from the Kotte and Dehiwala Municipal Councils have been deployed to contain the fire pic.twitter.com/5B76OlqG6a

— NewsWire (@NewsWireLK) July 21, 2026

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The Old Boys’ Association of Sir John Kothalawala College says that although the child admitted to lighting matches which caused a teacher’s car to catch fire, being only about eight years old, neither the school administration nor Sri Lanka Police has filed charges or treated him as an offender, and will not do so. 

Issuing a statement, the Association emphasized that no charges or pressure will be placed on the child, firmly rejecting social media claims that school authorities exerted undue influence. 

The incident occurred on July 3 at 2.55 pm when the teacher’s car caught fire inside the school premises. CCTV footage later revealed a small child loitering near the vehicle and discarding a matchbox. 

The teacher lodged a complaint with Kurunegala Headquarters Police for insurance purposes, submitting CCTV footage and photos, but did not mention the child’s name.

The teacher has not pressured the child or parents in any way. He did not mention the child’s name in complaints. However, the mother has included the child’s name in complaints against the teacher, which is regrettable, the statement said. 

On July 4, the child, along with his parents, was questioned before the Principal and Deputy Principal, where he admitted to lighting several matches and throwing one into the car’s bumper. 

The parents confirmed the act, and the father pledged compensation for the damage. Police officers from the Science of Crime Office (SOCO) conducted an inspection and permitted the car to be taken for repairs.

The Old Boys’ Association emphasized that the child continues to attend school regularly and that his safety and rights are being safeguarded. They condemned distorted social media posts that circulated CCTV footage and reports in ways that defamed the school.

The child’s younger brother in Grade 2 has not been scolded or punished by the teacher regarding earlier scratches on the car. Parents confirmed this. The teacher regrets that repairs cannot be done yet due to lack of insurance compensation or spare parts, the Association said. 

The affected teacher, described as highly dedicated to Grade 5 students, continues his duties without interruption, conducting voluntary extra classes and online lessons despite the incident. 

The Association also criticized the parents for leaving the child unsupervised for over three hours after school ended, stressing that responsibility for children’s safety lies with parents, not the school staff.

On July 03, after school ended at 1 pm, children left. But the child remained until 4 pm, over three hours. Allowing such a small child under 8 years to remain unnecessarily at school is a serious fault of the parents. Parents must take children home immediately after school, the Old Boys’ Association said, expressing strong disapproval. 

The Association reiterated that the case highlights broader concerns about child safety and serves as a warning to society about the unnecessary use of mobile phones by small children. (Newswire)

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A fire broke out at the Kalutara District Secretariat office today (13).

It is reported that preliminary reports indicate that the blaze was triggered by an electrical leakage within the premises.

A fire engine has already been dispatched to the scene to bring the situation under control.

Authorities are continuing efforts to contain the fire, while further investigations are underway to determine the extent of damage. (Newswire)

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An explosive fire at a bar in Thailand’s capital Bangkok killed 27 people and injured dozens more, officials said on Monday (Jul 13), after obstructed emergency exits hindered patrons choking on smoke from escaping the burning venue.

One video of the incident posted on social media and verified by Reuters showed thick smoke billowing out of the pub, before an intense horizontal plume of fire jets out of a doorway, as screaming customers fled the premises around midnight on Sunday (1am, Monday, Singapore time).

“We have recovered 27 bodies, others are being sent to hospital,” said Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site early on Monday.

Another 63 people were injured, 22 critically, in the incident at the Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao pub and have been hospitalised, said Suriyachai Rawiwan, director of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

The pub is located in a busy part of northern Bangkok connected by its urban rail systems, adjacent to two shopping malls and within walking distance of cinemas, large parks and the Chatuchak weekend market that is popular with foreign tourists.

The initial assessment was that an electrical short circuit in an air conditioner located in the ceiling caused the fire, the disaster administration said.

Based on survivor accounts, officials said the fire is understood to have started at the front stage section of the pub and spread rapidly, forcing many to run to the back of the venue, which houses the kitchen and the bathrooms.

“There are two fire exits, one is near the kitchen. There were beer crates in the way,” Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt told reporters, adding that there was a table in the way of the other fire exit, hindering evacuation.

“We need to wait for forensic investigators to examine the scene more closely,” he added.

In the early hours of the morning, emergency personnel remained at the scene as bodies were prepared for transport and forensic teams collected evidence to help identify the victims.

Numbered bodies lay in two rows awaiting removal, surrounded by a large number of rescue workers. Firefighters stood near the pub’s entrance, its facade scorched and blackened by the blaze.

A band member at the venue told local media that smoke suddenly filled the room after the lights briefly went out, followed by a massive explosion and fire. 

“After the explosion I didn’t see anybody trying to run, most of them were on the floor asking for help,” he told reporters, his head still bandaged, without giving his name.

“I ran towards the door from the stage, about five metres. It was dark and there was smoke, no oxygen.” (CNA)

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The house of underworld figure Thambili Lahiru has been set on fire in the Middeniya area, the Police said.

The incident was reported to the Middeniya Police today, who have launched investigations into the arson attack.

The Police confirmed that the blaze targeted Thambili Lahiru’s residence while he remains in custody at the Boossa High Security Prison.

The Middeniya Police is conducting investigations to determine those responsible for the incident.

Thambili Lahiru was arrested in Indonesia and brought back to Sri Lanka last year. (Newswire)

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A sudden fire broke out at noon today (16) in the transformer installed at the Cancer Unit of the Galle National Hospital.

Hospital authorities immediately disconnected the electricity supply to the unit as a precautionary measure, ensuring the safety of patients and staff.

The blaze was swiftly brought under control by hospital employees working alongside the Galle Municipal Council’s City Firefighting Unit, who managed to extinguish the fire before it could spread further. (Newswire)

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Three individuals who were injured in a fire that broke out in a restaurant at Thalawathugoda Junction today, have succumbed to their injuries, it was reported. 

According to media reports, hospital sources have confirmed that the three injured individuals have died.

A fire broke out in a restaurant at the Thalawathugoda Junction this morning, during which three persons were rescued and admitted to the Colombo National Hospital. 

Several fire trucks were deployed to contain the blaze, while the cause for the fire was yet to be ascertained. Police investigations are underway into the incident. (Newswire)

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Three people have been injured in a fire reported at a restaurant near the Thalawathugoda Junction today (09).

According to the Police, the injured individuals have been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital. 

Several fire trucks have been dispatched to contain the fire. 

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, the Police added. (Newswire)

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The death toll in the fire that broke out at an elders’ home in Batagoda, Anguruwatota, this week has increased to 13.

According to the Police, one person had succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at the Horana Hospital.

The Police further said that six (06) more persons are continuing to receive treatment at the hospital. 

Among the nearly 70 residents of the elders’ home,  fifty-one (51) were rescued, and seven (07) were hospitalized, soon after the fire broke out.

Meanwhile, the Director of the elders’ home was arrested yesterday and was remanded until June 11, after being produced before the Horana Magistrate’s Court. (Newswire)

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The Director of the elders’ home in Batagoda, Anguruwatota, in which a fire broke out yesterday, has been arrested.

According to the Police, the individual is to be produced before the Horana Magistrate’s Court today. 

The Police further said that the death toll in the incident has increased to 12, as of this morning.

Investigations reveal that among the 71 residents of the elders’ home, seven had been injured and hospitalized, while 51 had been rescued.  

The Anguruwatota Police are conducting further investigations. (Newswire)

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The death toll in the fire that broke out at an elders’ home in Batagoda, Anguruwatota, has increased to 11.

According to the Police, three people are still reported missing following the incident. 

The Police further said that fifty-one (51) persons were rescued and seven (07) have been hospitalised. 

They added that investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire, while authorities are continuing search and recovery operations. (Newswire)

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At least 21 people have died in a fire at a hotel in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar this morning. 

According to the police, they received the news of the fire incident at Flourish Stay B&B at 8:48 am and immediately launched rescue, evacuation and relief operations. 

The fire has been extinguished with the assistance of eight fire engines. 

More than 40 persons have been rescued and shifted to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. 

Out of the 21 killed in the hotel fire, 17 were foreign nationals from countries like Liberia, Nigeria, Mozambique and Bangladesh.  

Rescue and search operations are still underway.

Lovkesh Bajaj, the owner of the hotel, is on the run, sources said.

According to sources, Lovkesh and his partners owned three hotels within a 100-metre radius. All the hotels lacked the necessary licenses and documents.  (NDTV)

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Eight (08) female workers from a garment factory in Embilipitiya were admitted to the hospital this morning after inhaling smoke during a fire that broke out at the facility.

According to the Police, the blaze erupted inside a warehouse of the textile factory located near the Nonagama Sudupalam area. 

The affected workers were rushed to the Embilipitiya Base Hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation. 

The Sewanagala fire‑fighting unit was deployed to bring the flames under control. 

Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire, which has not yet been established. (Newswire)

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A fire broke out in a building on Dam Street, Colombo, this afternoon.

The Fire Services Department said that 10 fire trucks have already been dispatched to the site to bring the blaze under control.

Authorities noted that the extent of the damage or the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. (Newswire)

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A Turkish Airlines jet caught fire while landing at Nepal’s main airport on Monday, causing no reported injuries but forcing the airport to shut down.

The flight from Istanbul landed at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport with fire and smoke on the right landing gear. 

Emergency crew responded and controlled the fire and passengers were safely evacuated, according to airport officials.

The airport was shut down on Monday morning. There were 277 passengers on board the Airbus 330 jet.

Several planes bound for Kathmandu were put on hold while officials were investigating and attempting to clear the only runway available at the airport.

Nepal experiences relatively frequent plane crashes as its mountainous terrain and variable weather make flying conditions difficult.

In 2015, a Turkish Airlines jet landing in dense fog in Kathmandu skidded off a slippery runway shutting down the airport for several days.

No injuries were reported, and the plane was later towed out of the airport and converted into a museum. (Gulf News)

A scary moment at Kathmandu airport as a Turkish Airlines aircraft suffered a tyre fire during landing at Tribhuvan International Airport.Thankfully all passengers and crew were evacuated safely with no casualties reported.

Source: ANI via @ScopeReport_#TurkishAirlines… pic.twitter.com/FCVlgjTfbJ

— The War Journal (@Thewarjurnal_) May 11, 2026

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The Sri Lanka Air Force has announced that a Bell 412 helicopter has been deployed to assist in extinguishing a fire that broke out at the Karadiyana garbage dump in Bokundara today (10).

It is reported that the blaze erupted around midday at the waste yard, prompting immediate action by the Moratuwa Municipal Council’s firefighting unit. 

Fire engines were dispatched to the site to prevent the flames from spreading and to bring the situation under control.

Authorities confirmed that the helicopter was brought in to bolster ground efforts. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and investigations are underway. (Newswire)

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The Government Analyst visited the Galle railway station this morning (01) to inspect two train compartments that were destroyed in a fire last night.

The blaze broke out in two of the four train compartments parked near the station on Tuesday (31). 

Firefighters from the Galle Municipal Council deployed two fire engines to extinguish the flames, assisted by Police officers, railway staff, and local residents.

The Galle Police have launched further investigations into the incident. (Newswire)

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A fire has broken out near the Kerawalapitiya expressway entrance.

According to reports, the blaze started at the Kerawalapitiya garbage dump.

Two fire trucks have been dispatched to the scene to bring the fire under control. (Newswire)

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