Kurunegala, Sri Lanka—Two people died early Tuesday when a fire broke out at a boarding house near the city center. The blaze ignited in the middle of the night, rapidly engulfing the ground floor before spreading to the upper levels. Most residents were asleep when the smoke alarms finally sounded.

Firefighters arrived on the scene to find the structure already consumed by intense heat. They deployed multiple teams to contain the flames and search for survivors. The intensity of the fire made it impossible for rescuers to enter the building during the initial stages of the operation.

Witnesses described a scene of total chaos as people scrambled to escape through windows and narrow exits. Many residents were forced to jump from the second floor to avoid the smoke. The building itself is an older structure with wooden interior components that provided fuel for the fire.

Two bodies were recovered from the debris once the fire was fully extinguished by morning. The identities of the victims have not been confirmed by police yet. They were trapped in a room near the center of the house, which suffered the most significant structural damage during the incident.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Forensic teams are currently combing through the charred remnants of the electrical wiring to see if a short circuit triggered the blast. Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have started in a kitchen area that was shared by all tenants.

Survivors are being assisted by the local Red Cross, which has provided temporary housing and medical supplies. Many lost all their personal belongings in the blaze, including identification papers and savings. The emotional toll on the community is high, as the building was home to several low-income workers.

The Kurunegala municipal council has already announced a review of fire safety compliance for all boarding houses in the district. Many of these buildings operate without proper fire escapes or extinguishers, turning simple rooms into firetraps. Critics argue that this tragedy could have been prevented with basic oversight.

The site remains blocked off as investigators work to document the damage. Owners of the building have been summoned for questioning by the local police. The neighborhood is left to process the loss as emergency services finish clearing the charred interior of the house.