Fire Breaks Out at Krish Building – Spreads to Six Floors

A fire broke out today in the Krish building, located in Colombo Fort, which consists of 60 floors. The fire started on the 35th floor and has spread across six floors. Firefighters have worked tirelessly for over two and a half hours to control the blaze.

According to a spokesperson from the Department of Fire and Rescue Services, the fire was reported at around 7:42 PM. To extinguish the flames, eight fire engines and water tankers have been deployed. A large crowd of residents and passersby in the Fort area gathered to witness the event as it unfolded.

Reports indicate that the fire began due to the use of a large amount of hardboard material for concrete structures and wall partitions on the 35th floor. The blaze spread down to the lower five floors, and the flames could be clearly seen from the top of this towering 60-story building in Colombo Fort.

This building, which belongs to Krish Transworks Colombo (Pvt) Ltd, was in the middle of construction work on the Ritz Carlton project. The construction was halted midway, and the building has been the subject of political corruption and financial misconduct allegations dating back to the Rajapaksa administration before 2015.

In related news, it has also been reported that MP Namal Rajapaksa, who is facing charges for the illegal misuse of 70 million rupees under the guise of promoting rugby by the Indian Krish Company, has been summoned by the Colombo High Court on the 18th of this month.

However, it is not immediately clear if there is any connection between this event and the fire.

Firefighters, over 30 personnel, are putting in a tremendous effort to control the situation, and the authorities have indicated that it may take several more hours to completely bring the fire under control.

A formal investigation into the incident will be conducted, and further details regarding the cause of the fire and the damage caused will be released in due course.