Fire in Sri Lankan capital destroys 80 houses, around 220 people displaced

At least 80 houses were destroyed due to a fire that broke out in a highly populous area in Colombo, with around 220 people displaced, Sri Lankan police said on Wednesday.

The fire broke out at the Kajeemawatte Flats in Thotalanga at around 8pm on Tuesday night and it took firefighters several hours to get the blaze under control, reports Xinhua news agency.

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Twelve fire trucks were pressed into service.

Slum dwellers stand outside burnt shanties following an overnight fire in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Wednesday. AP

No casualties were reported in the incident, and those affected are housed in community centres and places of worship.

The police are yet to determine the cause of the fire and the total property damage has not been estimated.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed his Secretary Saman Ekanayake to take steps to provide immediate relief to all the people affected by the fire.

Indo-Asian News Service