A fire broke out on the evening of June 3, 2026, at the Maupiya Sewana Elders Home care facility in Anguruwatota, Sri Lanka, killing 12 residents and injuring between six and eight others [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. The home sheltered elderly people as well as young individuals with mental health issues [1, 2, 6, 7]. The youngest victim was a 17-year-old boy [1, 2, 6, 7].
Authorities rescued 51 residents and staff from the building during the blaze. Police spokesman Frederick Wootler said, "A total of 51 people were rescued from the home and they are being looked after by the military and public officials in the area" [3]. The rescued were relocated to nearby government facilities or temporary accommodation [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9].
The care home is located about 55 kilometers south of Colombo, in the Anguruwatota area, according to multiple sources [3, 5, 6, 9]. Some reports place it slightly farther southeast near Kalutara district, about 65 kilometers from Colombo [8].
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Initial reports mentioned a possible gas cylinder explosion, but no definitive cause has been confirmed [6, 8]. Two police teams are conducting detailed investigations into the incident [3, 4, 5, 9].
On June 4, 2026, the manager, director, and owner of the care home was arrested and taken to the fire scene in handcuffs in connection with the fire [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9].
The exact number of injured varies between sources, with some reports stating six injured and others up to eight [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Authorities have yet to confirm a final figure.
The investigation continues as officials seek to determine the cause and hold responsible parties accountable.
