Seven injured in gas cylinder explosion at Polonnaruwa Nephrology Hospital

Seven people were injured, three of them seriously, after a gas cylinder exploded inside the kitchen of the Polonnaruwa Nephrology Hospital early today (September 26).

Police said the explosion occurred at around 4:00 AM while the injured employees were on duty in the hospital kitchen.

The injured workers were admitted to the Polonnaruwa General Hospital for treatment, while hospital sources said the condition of three of them is serious.

The explosion also caused extensive damage to the hospital building.

No patients receiving inpatient treatment at the hospital or healthcare staff were injured in the incident.

Following the explosion, healthcare staff safely evacuated patients who had been receiving inpatient treatment at the hospital early this morning.

The patients were provided with the necessary medical care before being transferred to the Polonnaruwa General Hospital for further treatment.

UPDATE – 04:27 PM:

A 36-year-old healthcare assistant who was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Polonnaruwa General Hospital following this morning’s gas cylinder explosion at the Polonnaruwa Nephrology Hospital has succumbed to his injuries, according to the Deputy Director of the Polonnaruwa General Hospital.