People living in line houses in Welipenna, who looked forward to celebrate the dawn of the new year on Wednesday, had their hopes and happiness reduced to ashes as their homes were engulfed in flames on Tuesday.

An electric short-circuit in one of the houses on Tuesday morning, resulted in a fire that spread to all houses, destroying everything inside.

All belongings of the people who earned a day’s income through labour work in rubber estates were turned to ash by the fire. The people of these 10 houses who say all their belongings went up in flames right before their eyes, are now provided shelter at the Pallegoda Tamil School.

Today, their only belongings are the mats and pillow provided by neighbours and the clothes that they were wearing when the tragedy struck.

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