A fire at a chemical factory in Kandana has left one dead and more than 100 students of two nearby schools hospitalized.
The deceased is the accountant of the facility that produces detergents, police said.
Smoke inhalation from the fire that spread in the area sent 102 schoolchildren to Ragama Hospital with breathing difficulties.
Their condition is not serious, while the fire has been brought under control.
What had caused the fire is yet to be determined.
