A bus carrying a pilgrim group caught fire early this morning near a rest house close to Jethawanaramaya in the Udamaluwa Police Division, resulting in the death of one person.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident after receiving reports about the fire. According to initial findings, a group of people from Embilipitiya had traveled to Anuradhapura for a pilgrimage and had stopped at the rest house for the night. The bus they arrived in suddenly caught fire, and one individual inside the vehicle was unable to escape and died in the blaze.
The deceased has been identified as a 55-year-old resident of Embilipitiya.
The Anuradhapura Municipal Council Fire Department, along with the Anuradhapura Police and Udamaluwa Police, worked together to extinguish the fire. However, by the time the flames were brought under control, the bus had been completely destroyed.
Authorities are currently conducting further investigations to determine the cause of the fire and any potential safety lapses that may have contributed to the tragic incident.
