Hambantota International Port responds to fire in Tsunami Village

The occupants of a home located in a Tsunami Village in Hambantota escaped a tragedy last week, due to the timely intervention of the Hambantota International Port’s Emergency Response Team (ERT).  

The ERT responded to a distress call for assistance in dousing a fire that had erupted in the home which had occurred while the occupants of the house were in residence. Since the house was one of a row of similar homes constructed in the Tsunami Village, the fire if it had not been contained, could have caused severe damage to the village and the several families living there, especially since there were women, children and even pregnant mothers around at the time the accident had occurred.

The Emergency Response Team of the Hambantota International Port responds to fire at the Tsunami Village

On arrival at the scene the Response Team had immediately identified the need to isolate the fire without allowing it to spread. A spokesman for the Hambantota International Port said, “The risk of the fire spreading fast was high as the houses are lined up very close to each other in the Tsunami Village. The rescue team was able to isolate the fire and then methodically extinguish it while the rest of the team evacuated the residents.”

The spokesman added that the brave action taken by the ERT prevented a serious incident which could have resulted in massive damage and loss of life, especially since the incident took place on a holiday when most of the families were in their homes. It is fortunate that the services of the Hambantota International Port’s ERT was so readily available to assist the residents of the area in their moment of distress.

The successful containment of the fire is proof of the port’s firefighting expertise and capacity for operating under pressure. The fact that the Hambantota International Port is fully equipped to handle any fire that may break out, as part of the services it makes available, is very important.

The Tsunami Village has expressed their deep gratitude to the Hambantota International Port for the expeditious assistance and firefighting services which were completed with zero casualties.