COLOMBO, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Over 20 people sustained burn injuries when a fire dancer lost control of his act during a religious ceremony near a Hindu temple in Batticaloa, eastern Sri Lanka, state media reported Monday.

The injured include children, and some of them have received severe burn injuries.

According to the police, a wheel carrying fireballs went swirling into the crowd when the dancer lost control of his act during a procession near the temple on Sunday.

The injured have been rushed to nearby hospitals.

Fire dancing is often the highlight of religious and cultural pageants in Sri Lanka.