Bangladesh, a cement factory collapses: at least 7 killed, over 60 injured
Dhaka (AsiaNews) - At least seven people died in the collapse of the roof of a cement factory under construction in Mongla (Bagerhat district), a port city about 200 km southwest of Dhaka. The incident occurred yesterday afternoon.
So far firefighters have recovered 62 workers alive, but many more are still trapped under the rubble of the Elephant Brand Cement. In addition to the firefighters, members of the Border Guard Bangladesh and Navy are also engaged in rescue operations. The injured were admitted to the Mongla Port Authority Hospital, Rampal Upazila Health Complex and Khulna Medical College Hospital.
Owned by the Sena Kalyan Sangstha (SKS, an organization dedicated to the welfare of Army veterans), the cement factory was under construction. About 90 people were erecting the roof of the building, when it collapsed.
According to the eye witness account of Robiul Islam, one of the workers who survived, at the time of the accident there were at least 150 people inside the structure. The SKS however denies the presence of other individuals in addition to the workers.
Khulna Division Commissioner
Abdus Samad has announced the formation of a committee of nine members, who
within seven days must submit a report on the episode.
According to firefighters, between 10 and 20 dead bodies could still be trapped
under the rubble. Meanwhile, hundreds of people - including family members of
the victims and the merely curious - have arrived on site, hampering rescue
operations.
Similar incidents are not uncommon in Bangladesh. One of the worst such
accidents involved the Rana Plaza, an eight-story complex in Dhaka which collapsed
on itself in 2013. 1138 people died and more than 2 thousand were seriously
injured, most of whom underwent amputations or permanent injury. In 2012 a fire
at Tazreen Fashionhas killed 112 people.
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02/11/2023 11:06
12/09/2016 12:57
