23 injured in Colombo building fire, 4 critical

Colombo, Oct 27 (IANS) At least 24 people were injured, including four said to be in critical condition, after a fire ripped through an eight-storey building in Colombo, police in the Sri Lankan capital said.

According to the police, the injured have been shifted to the National Hospital, Xinhua news agency reported.

The injured persons have received burn wounds or suffered from respiratory issues, a spokesperson for the hospital told the media.

He added that four of the injured individuals are in critical condition.

The fire broke out at about 9.30 a.m. in the building located in the city's Pettah area, Colombo Fire Chief P.D.K.A. Wilson said.

The Colombo Fire Brigade dispatched 11 fire engines and 45 firefighters to douse the fire, and it took them several hours to bring the blaze under control, he added.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, and the Colombo Fort Police are conducting investigations.