Tragic death of a family due to house fire

In the early days, hazards of fire were limited to its thermal hazards. With the advancement of civilization, science and industry, the lifestyles of people have changed, including their housing trends, i.e. space, insulation and ventilation, the hazards of other components of the fire has surfaced. Three family members and a niece were found dead inside their airtight, locked house, in a morning by the driver. The pantry area which opened into the living room had evidence of fire. At the autopsy, all four bodies were covered with black soot, but there were no burns in bodies or clothing. The cause of deaths was given as death due to smoke inhalation. The circumstance of the deaths was ascertained as accidental. Even though deaths due to smoke inhalation are rare, with air-conditioning and insulation of houses, the hazards of smoke have increased in Sri Lanka. Therefore, installations of smoke alarms or fire sprinkler systems are recommended to prevent such deaths in the future.