Airforce has sent helicopters Tuesday to help douse a fire at a hospital in east Sri Lanka's province of Manthivu.

Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said that all patients and staff at the leprosy hospital in the province's Batticaloa district were safely evacuated.

Airforce choppers had successfully brought the fire under control, Nanayakkara said.

The cause of the fire was not known yet as the investigation has been underway.

Source: Xinhua