GALPATHA, Sri Lanka – A fire ripped through an unregistered nursing home in western Sri Lanka late Wednesday, killing 13 residents and injuring eight others. A staff member at the facility, identified as Danuja Chathuranga, reported that at least one of the deceased individuals was found chained, while another resident was reportedly untied and rescued. The facility, located in Anguruwatota, housed individuals with mental health conditions.
The nursing home was found to be unregistered, overcrowded, and had previously received warnings from authorities regarding its adherence to laws and guidelines.
The home, reportedly operating with beds for approximately 15 individuals but housing 71 residents, was described by Chathura Mihudum, director of Sri Lanka's National Secretariat for Elders, as a place that "had been warned to follow laws and guidelines." The director of the home has since been arrested on suspicion of causing deaths through negligence.
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Concerns have been amplified regarding the treatment of vulnerable patients, with the alleged chaining of a resident raising serious questions about inhumane practices and potential abuse within private care facilities. Such restraints are considered contrary to international standards of medical and psychiatric care.
The facility's chief administrator, Amala Rajapaksa, stated that residents included referrals from the state's main mental hospital, courts, and police. Rajapaksa mentioned managing the homes for 22 years, with her late husband having established the facility.
Police spokesman Fredrick Wootler initially reported 12 deaths, with the toll later rising to 13. Fifty-one residents were rescued from the blaze.
