A SriLankan manager returning home called fire dept. on seeing fire at racecourse building

The Government Analyst was called in yesterday to investigate a fire that broke out at a restaurant in Colombo 7, with initial suspicion that a gas leak had led to the incident.

Two people sustained minor injuries in the incident reported around 5.30 am.

Extensive damages have been caused to the restaurant located at the racecourse pavilion building.

SriLankan Airlines Airport Service Delivery Manager Prins Weeararatna who was returning from work had initially spotted the fire and alerted the Colombo Municipal Council fire department.

A CMC fire service department official said 20 fire fighters had been deployed to douse the fire. They elaborated that it took about four hours to control the fire.

Mr Weeraratne said that he was driving back home after work when he noticed small pieces of glasses shattered across the main road in front of Royal College.

“I thought the shattered glass must have been due to an accident, when I spotted a fire inside the race course building."

He said he immediately called the fire department on the emergency hotline when he realised that the fire was spreading and the fire trucks arrived in a few minutes.

The previous night the Race Course ground was the venue for the final of the Mahinda Rajapaksa trophy football match between Sri Lanka and Seychelles.