Sri Lanka, Sept. 28 -- The Colombo Municipal Council Fire Service Department is stepping up recruitment and expanding its facilities to strengthen fire safety and emergency response across the city, Acting Chief Fire Officer P.D.K.A. Wilson told the Sunday Observer yesterday. Wilson said the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) had recently approved the recruitment of additional firefighters, a long-pending request amid growing concerns over safety in the densely built, often unplanned, urban environment.

The recent fire at First Cross Street, Pettah underscored the urgency of these measures, bringing renewed public attention to the city's fire safety challenges, he said. Last week, 35 recruits - whose appointments had been delayed since inte...