Abandoned train carriages near Galle's Black Bridge caught fire, leaving a mystery.

The iron skeletons, which had been hidden from the authorities' eyes for a decade and a half, rusting and decaying, were engulfed in a blaze, burning to ashes along with the dark secrets hidden within them.

Two disused train carriages, parked near the historic Kalu Palama (Black Bridge) close to the Galle railway station, suddenly caught fire and were completely destroyed last night.

These were not merely empty iron cages. These five train carriages, removed from service about fifteen years ago and set aside, had over time become a major headache for the residents, turning into a hub for various abuses and anti-social activities. Although authorities at the Galle railway station had repeatedly informed the relevant departments in writing to remove this rusting graveyard, none of these requests had received a proper response.

It is still a mystery whether these dark carriages suddenly caught fire, or if they were deliberately set ablaze by an organized group to destroy evidence of illegal activities that took place there. Although the Galle Municipal Council's fire brigade and the police worked strenuously to extinguish the fire, the true cause of the fire remains hidden among those piles of ashes. With the assistance of Crime Scene Investigation (SOCO) officers, Galle Police have already launched a comprehensive investigation, and the final conclusion will have to await the Government Analyst's report.

It is an irony of fate that such a massive fire was ultimately needed to bring to light the social garbage that authorities had overlooked for years, opening the eyes of the officials.