News
Lethal concrete slab- a wake-up call on dilapidated public buildings
View(s):By Dilushi Wijesinghe
The deteriorating condition of several government-owned housing complexes and public buildings has once again come under scrutiny following the death of a seven-year-old boy after a slab of concrete fell from an upper floor of a state-owned housing complex in Colombo.
The incident occurred at the Randhiya Uyana Housing Complex in Modara, highlighting long-standing concerns over poor maintenance, delayed repairs and institutional apathy towards ageing government infrastructure – concerns residents say they have raised repeatedly over the years.
The scene of the tragdy and right the 7-year-old victim
The child was standing outside a shop on the ground floor of the housing complex on February 4 when a section of concrete detached from the seventh floor and struck him on the head.
He was rushed to the Colombo National Hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
At the time of the incident, the boy had been at the shop with his grandmother and aunt. According to eyewitnesses, the child had stepped outside moments before the concrete slab fell.
Residents of the complex told the media that the tragedy was not unforeseeable. One resident said cracks and structural damage had been observed as early as 2019 and had been formally reported to the Urban Development Authority (UDA).
“We wrote letters, took photographs and informed the UDA, but nothing was done,” the resident said. “Now a child has died. Are we expected to wait until more people are killed?” 
The death has renewed questions over the responsibility of state agencies tasked with maintaining public housing and ensuring the safety of residents, particularly in densely populated urban complexes where thousands live under visibly deteriorating structures.
Addressing the Parliament this week, Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake expressed regret over the incident and offered an apology to the child’s family, describing the death as a tragic and unfortunate failure.
The inquest into the child’s death was held on February 5 before Colombo City Additional Colombo Municipal Additional Coroner, Iresha Deshani Samaraweera. The post-mortem examination was conducted by Colombo Judicial Medical Officer P. A. Kiriella.
Based on medical evidence, it was ruled that the child died due to severe head injuries caused by a falling concrete slab.
Additionally, the child’s parents were instructed to lodge a complaint with the Workmen’s Compensation Tribunal and the police were directed to report the matter to the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
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