Fire at the Bandarawela Magistrate's court

Colombo (News1st) -

Numerous court documents were destroyed today when a fire consumed the archives at the Bandarawela Magistrate's Court. 

Police suspect that the fire may have been an act of arson.

Area residents reported seeing smoke spreading from the archives of the Bandarawela Magistrate's Court at about 9 AM today (April 30). 

The blaze was put out by the Fire Brigade of the Bandarawela Municipal Council with the support of the Police.

Police dogs were deployed and security camera recordings are also being examined as a part of the investigation into the cause of the fire. Police suspect that the arsonists may have scaled the wall of an adjoining school in order to gain access to the court complex. 

Special police teams which include Police Intelligence and the Police Special Task Force have been deployed for the investigation into the fire.

The magisterial inquest was carried out this afternoon by the Magistrate of Badulla and Bandarawela. The government analyst was also summoned to the scene this evening.