Second foreign woman dies

The German woman, one of the three foreigners who became seriously ill during their stay in a lodging house in Colpetty and were rushed to the Colombo National Hospital, died yesterday evening becoming the second victim to die. She had earlier been transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital due to her critical condition.

Three foreigners, a German couple and a 24-year-old British woman, were staying in a room at the hostel in Muhandiram Road, Colpetty, since January 30.  The British woman had passed away earlier at the hospital.

The Colpetty Police have submitted an investigation report to the Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday (03) in connection with the death of the British woman at the lodging house  and the Fort Magistrate has ordered the temporary closure of the hostel until further investigations are conducted and a report is produced on its suitability for accommodation, Police Media said.

The room where the three foreigners were staying has also been sealed.

The three foreigners suddenly developed symptoms of vomiting and dizziness on Saturday (01) morning and were admitted at the Colombo National Hospital. The British woman died and the German couple were moved to the Intensive Care Unit with one of them in critical condition.

Investigations revealed that a room adjacent to the room where the three foreigners were staying had been fumigated for three days using phosphine, a gas used to kill bedbugs. A special Police team is conducting further investigations to determine whether the cause of the death and illness was due to inhalation of toxic gas or food poisoning.

The relatives of the British woman have been informed and are scheduled to be brought to the country to identify the body, which has been placed in the mortuary of the Colombo National Hospital.

Her family has been informed of her death through the British High Commission in Sri Lanka, Police said. The government forensic officers and forensic medical officers have also been called in to investigate the incident.

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