Fourteen injured in van collision

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

Fourteen persons sustained grievous injuries when the van in which they were travelling crashed into a tree by the side of the road on the Anuradapura-Padeniya- Kudagama road yesterday morning around 4.45 am, when the driver fell asleep and could not stop the vehicle, Police Media Spokesman, SSP Prishantha Jayakody told the Sunday Observer. The spokesman said the injured persons who were employees of a garment factory at Katunayake were returning home after attending a funeral in Anuradhapura last Friday.

People who heard the impact of the accident and screams, sent the injured to the Maho government hospital with the help of the police.

The injured persons were later transferred to the Kurunegala government hospital. Of the injured four are said to be in a critical condition including the van driver. Several accidents had occurred on the highways in the past few months due to drunken drivers falling asleep at the wheel, police said.