Four individuals, including the manager of the facility, were burnt to death, while four others sustained injuries in a tragic gas explosion at a fuel station in Wehera, Kurunegala late last night, the police said.

The incident occurred around 11.00 p.m. when a lorry had arrived to refill LP gas at the station. Initial reports indicate that one of the two gas tanks at the site—each containing approximately 6,000 litres of gas—exploded during the filling process, engulfing the area in flames.

Police suspect that the explosion may have been triggered by an untrained worker mishandling the gas transfer procedure. It is believed the victims, including the fuel station manager and several workers, were attempting to manage the filling process when the tank exploded, leaving them with fatal burn injuries.

Emergency crews from the Kurunegala Municipal Council Fire Department, the Kurunegala Police, and the Sri Lanka Army responded promptly to the scene and battled the blaze for nearly two hours before bringing it under control, Ada Derana reporter said.

Municipal workers were also able to safely secure the second gas tank, which helped prevent further destruction. 

The fire was fully extinguished approximately 2 and 1/2 hours after the explosion, and the charred remains of the victims were recovered, according to Ada Derana reporter.

Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.