Tragedy in Kosgoda

Horrific accidents reported from all over the country :

It is shocking beyond words to describe the horrific accidents that were reported last week from different parts of the country.

The most unfortunate thing was that the fatal accidents had occurred on highways except for one that occurred at the Bolgoda lake when a child and an elderly man drowned when their boat capsized. Criminal negligence have been the cause of most accidents.

What is tragic is that a number of fatal accidents have occurred with alarming frequency taking several lives. Police surely will have to keep an eye on drunken drivers during the festive season and prosecute them in courts.

The ghastly and horrific tragedy occurred at Induruwa in Kosgoda police area when a container truck loaded with beer bottles ploughed into a crowded Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLCTB) bus with passengers proceeding to Colombo. At least 20 passengers in the bus were burnt to death at the time of writing this story.

Initial reports say the driver of the container truck lost control of the vehicle when it rammed into the bus near a bend at Induruwa on Galle road. The tragedy occurred around 6.15 a.m. last Tuesday.

The dead included two women and 20 male passengers who were trapped when a blaze enveloped the bus. The worst nightmare was when passengers discovered they could not escape as the bus was tilted to a side with fire ranging all over.

The two entrances were blocked preventing passengers escaping. Only a few managed to escape through the windows. Even people who gathered near the blaze could not rescue passengers due to the raging fire and exploding bottles of beer.

However when the fire was doused people managed to extricate several persons with serious burn injuries. Those with serious injuries were rushed to the Karapitiya hospital and others with less injuries were admitted to the Balapitiya and Bentota hospitals.

According to Kosgoda police, the SLCTB bus driver who sustained serious burn injuries was rushed to the Karapitiya hospital where he passed away. Although he made an effort to swerve the bus, the container truck came barrelling towards the bus and ploughed on to it. Meanwhile the police are searching for the driver of the container truck who mysteriously had disappeared after the crash.

Meanwhile another tragedy occurred last week in the waterways of Bolgoda lake where two people including a woman and a child were drowned and several others were hospitalised when the rafter in which they were travelling capsized. The incident could have been averted if people showed more diligence and were safety conscious while loading their rafter.

The rafter was overloaded with 18 persons. The drowned child has been identified as one Nishantha Fernando (11) and an elderly woman named Magalin Fernando (64) from Kahapola. Three more children and several persons who nearly drowned were admitted to Panadura hospital.

The tragedy happened when natives from Kahapola took a boat ride home after paying their obeisance to a shrine at Digala in Galapita area. Several persons in Kalutara and Panadura areas visit the Galapita shrine annually. The bodies of the child and the woman were found near the Gorakana area on the Bolgoda lake.

It is time that the Police prosecute the boatman for criminal negligence for endangering the lives of passengers.

Meanwhile two persons including a child (11) died while 36 persons were injured when two buses driven at excessive speeds collided at Kottukachchi in the Kurunegala area last Monday.

The incident occurred around 9.30.a.m. when a Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLCTB) bus plying from Puttalam to Kurunegala collided head on with a private bus plying from Kurunegala to Puttalam. The injured were despatched to Puttalam, Chillaw and the National Hospital Colombo.

Anamaduwa police say the visibility of the road had been poor at the time of the accident due to smoke engulfing the area. Farmers had set fire to paddy husk on that day.

The child victim was identified as one Amal from Ridigama. The other victim was one P. D. Premaratne from the Mawanella area. Both persons have died on the spot. Police say that both vehicles have been reduced to matchwood.

Another tragedy was reported from Teldeniya last week when a private bus travelling from Mahiyangana to Kandy over turned near the Siyabalatenne bend killing a woman and two male passengers while injuring 60 passengers.

The injured had been admitted to the Teldeniya Hospital. The bodies of the woman victim and the two men were not identified and are lying at the Teldeniya hospital at the time of writing the story.

According to Teldeniya police, a burst of a tyre while negotiating the bend had resulted the bus turning over.

However passengers had complained to police that the bus was driven at excessive speed. Meanwhile hospital sources said several women and children were among the injured in the accident.

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