Inquiry Launched After 'Chained' Patient Among 13 Who Died In Sri Lanka Nursing Home Fire

Investigation intensifies in Galpatha as reports emerge that residents at an unregistered facility were being physically restrained at the time of the fatal blaze.

The small town of Galpatha, located in western Sri Lanka, is reeling from a catastrophic incident that has exposed the dark underbelly of the nation’s private care sector. A massive fire that erupted late Wednesday night at an unregistered nursing home has claimed the lives of 13 people, triggering urgent questions regarding the oversight of facilities housing vulnerable individuals with mental health conditions.

The Reality of Restraint

Reports confirmed by staff members have painted a harrowing picture of the conditions inside the facility. Danuja Chathuranga, a worker at the home, revealed that two of the 71 residents present were kept in chains to prevent them from wandering off. Tragically, one of these individuals perished in the fire, while the other was untied by staff and managed to escape. Chathuranga defended the practice, claiming the intention was not to cause harm but to manage patients prone to wandering, citing previous incidents where residents were found entangled in barbed wire or discovered in muddy fields after escaping.

The 13 victims were part of a larger cohort of 71 residents, many of whom were reportedly placed in the home through court referrals or family arrangements for psychiatric care. The revelation that patients were physically restrained has ignited public outrage, putting the spotlight on the management’s disregard for basic human rights and safety standards in the name of security.

Systemic Oversight Failures

Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the tragedy is the status of the facility itself. Despite housing a high-risk demographic, the nursing home in Galpatha was not registered with the government. Authorities have confirmed that the same management oversaw two other facilities, both of which also lacked proper registration. This institutional negligence raises broader concerns about how such homes have been allowed to operate for years, with some reports even suggesting that government institutions had previously engaged with these unregistered facilities despite their lack of official standing.

As the community mourns, the incident serves as a grim reminder of the gap between clinical requirements and the reality of care provided in unregulated private homes. With the investigation ongoing, the focus has shifted toward why these homes were permitted to house patients with severe psychiatric needs, and what measures, if any, were in place to ensure their safety during emergencies. For now, the focus in Galpatha remains on the recovery of the victims and the legal accountability of those responsible for the facility's operations.