Jan 28, Colombo: The three-member committee appointed by Sri Lanka's Public Administration Ministry to probe the fire that engulfed the Colombo District Secretariat (Kachcheri) last November will conclude its inquiry shortly.

The report of the committee investigating the sudden fire that gutted the historic building which houses the public records will be submitted to the Ministry this week.

Public Administration and Homes Affairs Ministry Secretary P.B. Abeykoon has said the members of the committee include an additional secretary to the Ministry, a senior investigation officer and a head of the engineering division.

The committee had been appointed two weeks ago and the report has been called within one month.

The Government Analyst's after investigations concluded that an accelerant had been used to initiate the fire in the right side of the upper floor of the Kachcheri building.

Based on the Government Analyst's report, the police had concluded that the fire was an act of sabotage and launched investigations to identify the motive for the act.

The fire at the Kachcheri destroyed the office of the District Secretary (Government Agent) Kamal Padmasiri, office of the Additional District Secretary, planning, accounts, administrative divisions and the record room (a part) and the armory, resulting in the destruction of documents including land deeds, payment files of staff members, and copies of old documents.

However, District Secretary of Colombo Kamal Padmasiri had assured that there were no damages due to the fire to the divisions of pensions, land, births, deaths and marriages.