Asela, who was among the 7 injured in the explosion at Polonnaruwa Kidney Hospital, died.

The police confirm that one of the seven individuals injured in a severe explosion that occurred around 4:30 AM on the 26th, caused by a gas leak in the kitchen of Polonnaruwa National Kidney Hospital, has died. Following the incident, all injured individuals were admitted to Polonnaruwa General Hospital.

The individual who unfortunately passed away has been identified as U.R. Asela Chanaka Wijetunga, a health service assistant residing in the Gal Oya, New Dharmapala Mawatha area. Among the other six individuals injured in the accident, one patient has been transferred to Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital for further treatment, while the others continue to receive treatment at Polonnaruwa General Hospital. Those affected by this incident include two health service assistants, one security officer, a resident patient and his attendant, a cleaning staff member, and a hospital chef.

Immediately following the sudden explosion, hospital staff made strenuous efforts to evacuate over one hundred and fifty patients receiving treatment in several wards from the hospital building to ensure their safety. Preliminary police investigations have revealed that the primary cause of this large-scale damage was a gas leak in the kitchen.

Deputy Minister of Housing, Construction Development, and Water Supply, Mr. T.B. Sarath, visited the site of the incident and stated to the media that the massive property damage to the hospital would be promptly repaired and restored to its original condition. Additionally, Minister of Health and Mass Media, Mr. Nalinda Jayatissa, also visited the hospital and expressed the government's profound sorrow for the deceased employee. He stated that compensation would be provided to the family members of the deceased, and steps would be taken in consultation with the President regarding the future welfare of the injured individuals' families. The Health Minister further instructed the relevant authorities to immediately conduct a formal investigation into this tragedy and submit a report, as well as to promptly restore the hospital to its normal operational status.