Wednesday, November 28, 2007

17 killed, 37 injured in Nugegoda blast






By: Ranil Wijayapala and Chaminda Perera

At least 17 civilians were confirmed killed and 37 civilians were injured as a suspected parcel bomb exploded near a popular


A handbag that belonged to one of the Nugegoda bomb victims. Picture by Sudath Nishantha

fashion store at Nugegoda junction around 5.55 p.m. yesterday.

Police believe that the parcel bomb had been placed in one of the parcel counters at the No Limit clothing store by a suspected LTTE cadre who had left the scene. The No Limit store and the adjoining building were damaged by the resulting explosion and fire. The shops and the nearby bus halt was crowded during the evening rush hour.

The busy Nugegoda junction filled with students after their tuition classes and a large number of home bound office workers witnessed chaotic scenes immediately after the explosion causing a huge traffic jam on the High Level road and Stanley Thillekeratne Mawatha towards Kohuwala.

“The explosion was due to a suspicious parcel bomb kept in the parcel counter of the No Limit fashion shop,” Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told the Daily News.

According to reports, the bomb had exploded as a private security guard at the shop attempted to search a suspicious parcel kept in the parcel counter with the assistance of a Police officer on duty close to the Nugegoda junction, Brigadier Nanayakkara added.

The bodies were brought to the Kalubowila Teaching hospital after the incident. Four of the bodies charred beyond recognition were also lying at the hospital.

According to the Director of the Kalubowila Teaching hospital, Dr. W.G. Gunawardena 33 injured persons were admitted to the hospital after the incident and four seriously injured persons were transferred to the Colombo National hospital.

Firefighting vehicles from the Kotte Municipal Council and the Dehiwala Mount Lavinia Municipal Councils rushed to the scene to douse the fire that broke out inside the No Limit fashion outlet.

More than 12 motorbikes parked inside the vehicle park of the fashion outlet and some three wheelers parked along the road were also gutted in the fire.

People who were in the vicinity when the bomb blast occurred explained their experiences with horror.

Ranjan Perera of Mirihana who parks his three wheeler opposite the No Limit Fashion store said a massive explosion followed by fire and a cloud of smoke stunned him.

“As I got down from the threewheeler, I heard a massive blast and I ran towards the Fashion store. I saw bodies strewn here and there and helped police to take the injured to hospital”.

Percy Godwin whose wife has been admitted to the Kalubowila hospital with injuries said he could not even think of what actually happened.

“I came to No Limit with my wife to buy a pair of shoes for her. As we came out of the shop, we heard a blast and my wife fell down.”

Dayana Suraweera who has been admitted to the Kalubowila Hospital with injuries said she was about to cross the road when the blast occurred. I did not know what happened thereafter, she said.

“I was on the top floor of a shoe shop with my wife and child when I heard a big blast and there were glass pieces all over us,” resident A. Jayasena told reporters. “As we ran away, I saw the entrance of the No Limit shop burning, and in the midst of it, a schoolgirl on the floor trying to get up and then falling back again.”

The Hospital staff including the surgeons and consultants were busy carrying out urgent surgeries to save the lives of critically injured persons.

Hospital minor staffers were waiting opposite the hospital premises till the patients were brought to the hospital.
Dailynews.lk/2007/11/29/

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