Sri Lanka A Grisly Scene on Gasworks Street

A Grisly Scene on Gasworks Street After an explosion in Colombo caps the civil war's bloodiest week, chances for peace grow dim

The sky was dark, promising rain, as thousands of office workers in Colombo hurried along Gasworks Street toward the bus station. Some passengers dawdled for a moment before boarding, to sip pineapple juice or buy a bag of plantains from one of the many kiosks. For some, that decision proved fatal. The explosion came at the very height of the rush hour, ripping through the open- air depot and setting buses ablaze. Those who were not killed instantly were stunned, deafened or knocked unconscious by the blast. "People were running and screaming all around me," said B.D. Premadasa, a government worker,...

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