Sri Lankan Air Force Fighters fought valiantly to extinguish the fire which engulfed the Kerawalapitiya Shobers and Walkers Rubber Storage Facility on 21st June 2011.

Although the Colombo Fire Brigade and other fire fighting units had been called in to quell the fire, it was the Air Force Fire Fighters who finally shouldered the responsibility of completely dousing the fire. The SLAF Fire crew tirelessly braved it out untill the afternoon of the 22nd to completely secure the industrial complex whereas all other fire fighting units had abandoned the course the previous night when the fire had died out temporarily, assuming no more was to be done.

Thanks to the quick thinking by a group of Army personnel who were on duty at the complex when the fire erupted who called in the Air Force fire fighters, whom they stated were the best equipped and were well trained to handle this fire, further destruction was averted.

It was the total dedication and untiring commitment inculcated during their military training that helped them prevail above all other units in completely curtailing this fire.   This operation was led under the able guidance of Squadron Leader Chamil Hettiarachchi.