SAVAR, BANGLADESH // An eight-storey building housing several clothes factories collapsed in a suburb of the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, yesterday, killing at least 124 people and trapping many more.
Less than five months after a factory fire killed 112 people, the disaster again underscored the unsafe conditions in Bangladesh's garment industry.
Workers said they had hesitated to go to work yesterday because the building had developed such severe cracks the previous day that it had been reported on local news channels.
Abdur Rahim, who worked on the fifth floor, said a factory manager had assured them there was no problem, so they went inside.
"We started working. After about an hour or so, the building collapsed suddenly," he said. He lost consciousness and next remembers waking up outside the rubble.
Rescuers tried to dig through the debris with earthmovers, drilling machines and their bare hands.
Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir, the home minister, said during a visit to the site that the building had violated construction codes and "the culprits would be punished".
Among the businesses in the building were Phantom Apparels, New Wave Style, New Wave Bottoms and New Wave Brothers, which make clothing for western brands including Benetton, The Children's Place and Dress Barn. Workers said they did not know what specific brands were being produced in the building because the labels are attached after the products are completed.
Sumi, a 25-year-old worker who goes by one name, said she had been sewing jeans on the fifth floor with at least 400 other workers when the building fell.
"It collapsed all of a sudden," she said. "No shaking, no indication. It just collapsed on us."
She said she managed to reach a hole in the building through which rescuers pulled her out.
Reports suggested the death toll was likely to rise.
"We sent two people inside the building and we could rescue at least 20 people alive," said Mohammad Humayun, a supervisor at one of the garment factories. "They also told us that at least 100 to 150 people are injured and about 50 dead people are still trapped inside this floor."
Tens of thousands of people quickly gathered at the site. Some of them were weeping survivors, some were searching for friends and relatives. Firefighters and soldiers using drilling machines and cranes helped local volunteers in the search for survivors.
An enormous section of the concrete structure appeared to have broken apart. Colourful sheets of fabric were tied to upper floors of the wreckage so that those inside could climb or slide down and escape.
An arm jutted out of one section of the rubble. The lifeless body of a woman covered in dust could be seen in another. A firefighter carried the body of what appeared to be a teenager from the scene.
Mr Rahim said his mother and father, who worked with him in the factory, were still trapped.
"I have no idea what is going on," he said.
Mosammat Khurshida wailed as she looked for her husband. "He came to work in the morning. I can't find him," she said. "I don't know where he is. He does not pick up his phone."
The building, in the Dhaka suburb of Savar, also housed a bank and shops.
Zahidur Rahman, the director of public relations at Enam Medical College and Hospital, said that by last night 87 people had been confirmed dead.
Brig Gen Mohammed Siddiqul Alam Shikder said 600 people had been rescued.
The fire in November at the Tazreen garment factory drew international attention to poor working conditions in Bangladesh's textile industry.
The country has about 4,000 garment factories and exports clothes to leading western retailers. The industry wields vast power in the nation.
Tazreen lacked emergency exits and its owner said only three floors of the eight-story building had been legally built.
Survivors said exit gates had been locked and managers had told them to go back to work after the fire alarm went off.
Clothes with Disney, Wal-Mart and other well-known western labels were found in the ashes at the factory after the fire.
