A fire that erupted was brought under control as of Monday morning (06), the Army Spokesperson said.

Attempts were made to douse a fire that erupted in the ammunition dump at Kosgama Army Camp according to the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva.

Firefighters with the cooperation of soldiers had thrown their full weight behind the efforts after setting up road blocks on both sides of the Kosgama – Avissawella road.

Shortly after the first explosion, residents in Salawa were seen running from their homes in droves as police reported debris hitting the main highway and neighbourhoods.

The night sky was bright with an orange glow as huge fires raged and the area continued to shake every few minutes. Flying debris could be seen from three kilometres (two miles) away, a photographer said, and military officials warned residents not to touch anything that might be an unexploded device.

Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake said the police Criminal Investigation Department had been asked to look into the cause of the explosions.

“Our priority is to save lives,” Ratnayake told reporters. “But we have already asked the CID to investigate.”

He said the fire had spread quickly to two ammunition depots within the military complex and emergency responders struggled to extinguish it because they could not reach the source.