Bus, van collision kills five, injures 27

Asela Kuruluwansa and Indika Polkotuwa

Five persons died and 27 others were injured when a van transporting staff of a garment factory, collided head on with a private bus at Kiribathkumbura on the Colombo-Kandy main road on Saturday around 6.30 a.m.

The private bus was travelling from Matale to Colombo when it collided with the van carrying staff of a garment factory from Hemmathagama to Kandy.

The driver of the van Mahesh Priyankara Navaratne was among those who died.

The injured were admitted to the Kandy and Peradeniya hospitals.

Five are receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit.

Police investigations reveal that the accident had taken place when the van carrying garment factory staff tried to overtake the bus.

Investigations are continuing.