Four people, including the manager of the facility, were killed and four others sustained injuries in a devastating gas explosion at a fuel station in Wehera, Kurunegala late last night, police said.

The explosion occurred around 11.00 p.m. when a lorry arrived to refill LP gas at the station. According to initial reports, one of the two gas tanks—each holding approximately 6,000 litres—exploded during the filling process, engulfing the area in flames.

Police suspect the blast may have been caused by an untrained worker mishandling the gas transfer operation. The victims, including the manager and several staff members, were reportedly attempting to manage the procedure when the explosion occurred, resulting in fatal burn injuries.

Emergency teams from the Kurunegala Municipal Council Fire Department, Kurunegala Police, and the Sri Lanka Army responded swiftly, battling the fire for nearly two hours before it was brought under control.

Municipal workers successfully secured the second gas tank, preventing further damage. The fire was fully extinguished after about two and a half hours, and the charred remains of the victims were recovered.