Sri Lanka, June 11 -- Nearly a week after the Horana elders' home tragedy that killed 12 elderly persons following a fire, three more individuals succumbed to burn injuries following a fire that occurred at a restaurant in Thalawathugoda. One glaring similarity between the two incidents is the fact that there had been no emergency exits in both establishments. As a result, several individuals were trapped inside without any chances to escape.
In Sri Lanka, fire exits are legally mandatory under Construction Industry Development Authority Fire Regulations (CIDA/DEV/14), the Urban Development Authority (UDA) Guidelines, and the Factories Ordinance. Compliance requires unobstructed escape routes, a minimum of two exits per floor, outward...