General

A father and his daughter tragically lost their lives in a house fire in Galenbindunuwewa, Anuradhapura, while four other family members suffered burn injuries and were taken to the hospital, according to police reports. The father is believed to have intentionally set his house on fire with petrol after a family argument, which led to both his and his daughter's deaths. This incident happened around 2:00 a.m. today (June 6) in the Padikaramaduwa area of Nuwaragam Colony, falling under the Galenbindunuwewa Police Division. The deceased have been identified as a 43-year-old man, who started the fire, and his 13-year-old daughter, who were both trapped inside and died at the scene. Meanwhile, the man's 36-year-old wife, along with a 15-year-old daughter, a 20-year-old son, and a 66-year-old mother-in-law, were injured and are receiving treatment at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital. Police noted that at the time of the fire, the wife, their two daughters, and the mother-in-law were in the house. The son arrived after hearing about the fire and suffered burns while trying to save his mother and sisters. Investigations indicate that the father was known to drink alcohol excessively and had a history of domestic violence against his wife.