Two fires in Bogawantalawa:

42 families affected

S. Duraisamy Maskeliya group correspondent

Fifteen houses were reduced to ashes rendering 42 families homeless when a fire broke at the Bogawantalawa Estate Upper Division No. 10 on Saturday and Kotagala Yulliefield Estate Wellington Division on Friday.

No one was injured.

Thirty nine persons belonging to 11 families were rendered homeless following the fire at Bogawantalawa No. 10, Upper Division while four houses were completely and 12 occupants of three families were affected following the fire at Wellington Division.

Estate Welfare officer M. Karunanithy said goods worth Rs. 1.5 million had been damaged in the fire. The affected have been housed at the estate factory.

Bogawantalawa police suspected an electricity shortage may have caused the fire at the Bogawantalawa Estate Upper Division.

Sources said a kerosine oil lamp may have caused the fire at Wellington Division.