Fire destroys line rooms

S. Duraisamy Maskeliya group corr.

MASKELIYA: Line rooms belonging to 12 labourer families at St. John Dalrey Estate Lower Division, Maskeliya were completely gutted in a fire around 9.45 a.m. on Monday.

Norwood Police said there were no casualties as all workers were out on work in the field. Clothes and other goods belonging to the workers in Line rooms No. 13 have been reduced to ashes.

Ceylon Workers Congress Representatives led by R. Weerasamy and National Integration Deputy Minister S. Jegadeeswaran rushed to the scene and made arrangements with Estate Management to provide temporary alternative accommodation in other vacant line rooms to the affected families.

Cause of the fire is believed to be an electrical short circuit. Norwood Police is investigating.