A firefighter died after falling into a refuse pit behind the house and suffering burns.

A firefighter attached to the Tangalle Municipal Council's fire unit died due to severe burns after falling into a garbage pit behind his house. The person who unfortunately died in this manner is Nuwan Prasanna Rathnayake, a 40-year-old father of three, residing at No. 152, Kadurupokuna, Tangalle.

Police stated that he, who was severely injured in this accident that occurred on the 29th of last month, passed away on the 8th of last month while receiving treatment for 10 days in the Intensive Care Unit of Tangalle Base Hospital.

The inquest into this incident was conducted by Tangalle Inquirer into Sudden Deaths, Mr. Shyamal Warnakulasooriya, at the Tangalle Base Hospital. It was revealed there that while the deceased was attempting to set fire to the garbage pit behind his house by pouring petrol, he fell into the fire and sustained severe burn injuries in this manner.

Thinula Senehas Rathnayake, the son of the deceased, who gave evidence at the inquest, stated that on that day, due to Vesak decoration work at school, he did not go to school and stayed at home, helping a friend in a nearby house to paste Vesak lanterns. At that time, his mother called him on the phone and asked him to find out where his father was, and accordingly, when he searched inside the house and in the backyard, he saw his father burning in the garbage pit. He then immediately informed the neighbors and relatives, and they came, doused the smoking body with water, and immediately took him to the hospital in a three-wheeler, but he died after receiving treatment for 10 days in the Intensive Care Unit.

During this testimony, Mrs. Devmini Deepthi Malsha Kumari, the wife of the deceased, who runs a beauty salon in Tangalle town, and his brother, Ranil Lasantha Rathnayake, who works as a clerk at the Water Supply Board, also gave evidence. The post-mortem examination was conducted by Dr. K.S.R. Ubayarathna, the Judicial Medical Officer at Tangalle Base Hospital, and Sergeant Rathnayake (62429) of Tangalle Police led the evidence. After considering all the facts presented, it was determined to be an accidental death caused by severe burns sustained from falling into a fire.