Ambulance, army truck collision claims one

Rafik JALALDEEN, Asela KURULUWANSA and Matale District Group Corr.

An ambulance and an Army truck collided head on killing a person and injuring12 in Digampathana, Sigiriya yesterday morning. One was critical.

Police spokesman Senior DIG Nimal Mediwake said an ambulance attached to Serunuwara hospital and an Army truck attached to Minneriya Army camp collided head on at 105th mile post along the Sigiriya-Dambulla road around 5.30am.

He said the accident had taken place in Digampathana when the ambulance was returning to Serunuwara from Colombo. The Army truck transporting woman soldiers was heading to Dambulla from Minnerya.

The ambulance driver was killed and 12 others were injured including eight women soldiers.

"The nurse in the ambulance was admitted to Kandy hospital with severe injuries.

The rest were admitted to Dambulla hospital," he added.

The victim was identified as S.A.U. Gunasekera a resident of Parakramapura in Padaviya. Digampathana police are investigating