Colombo: At least 23 Sri Lankans were hospitalized on Friday morning after a fire broke out at an eight-story building in Pettah, the commercial centre of Colombo, the police said.
The wounded have been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital, the police said.
They 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. local time, 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 get the fire under control, he added.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, and the Colombo Fort Police are conducting investigations, the police said.
