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Frantic search for survivors after Dhaka building collapse | Frantic search for survivors after Dhaka building collapse |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A frantic search for survivors is under way at a building outside the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, which collapsed, killing at least 96 people. | A frantic search for survivors is under way at a building outside the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, which collapsed, killing at least 96 people. |
Rescue workers are working with volunteers, using heavy machinery and their bare hands to free survivors. | |
Tens of thousands of weeping family members are gathered at the site. | Tens of thousands of weeping family members are gathered at the site. |
Police said the factory owners had ignored warnings not to allow their workers into the building after cracks were noticed on Tuesday. | |
The owners are now said to have gone into hiding. | |
The disaster has prompted questions over Bangladesh's chronically poor safety standards. | The disaster has prompted questions over Bangladesh's chronically poor safety standards. |
Bangladesh has one of the largest garment industries in the world, providing cheap clothing for major Western retailers which benefit from its widespread low-cost labour. | Bangladesh has one of the largest garment industries in the world, providing cheap clothing for major Western retailers which benefit from its widespread low-cost labour. |
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced a national day of mourning on Thursday in memory of the victims. | Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced a national day of mourning on Thursday in memory of the victims. |
'Like a pancake' | 'Like a pancake' |
According to one firefighter, some 2,000 people were in the Rana Plaza building in Savar, some 30km (20 miles) outside Dhaka, when it collapsed suddenly on Wednesday morning. | According to one firefighter, some 2,000 people were in the Rana Plaza building in Savar, some 30km (20 miles) outside Dhaka, when it collapsed suddenly on Wednesday morning. |
Firefighters and soldiers joined volunteers in the effort to locate survivors in the mangled wreckage of concrete and steel. | Firefighters and soldiers joined volunteers in the effort to locate survivors in the mangled wreckage of concrete and steel. |
"I heard them cry. We can't leave them behind this way," fire official Abul Khayer told AP news agency. | "I heard them cry. We can't leave them behind this way," fire official Abul Khayer told AP news agency. |
Lengths of textile that were earlier being cut into garments - many destined for Western consumers - were now being used as makeshift slides to evacuate survivors and corpses. | Lengths of textile that were earlier being cut into garments - many destined for Western consumers - were now being used as makeshift slides to evacuate survivors and corpses. |
Mosammat Khursida wailed as she looked for her husband, AP reported. | Mosammat Khursida wailed as she looked for her husband, AP reported. |
"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." | "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." |
Lines of relatives filed by numbered bodies of victims, looking for their family members. | Lines of relatives filed by numbered bodies of victims, looking for their family members. |
Local hospitals were overwhelmed with a reported 1,000 people injured. | Local hospitals were overwhelmed with a reported 1,000 people injured. |
Survivors said the building had collapsed suddenly, without warning. | Survivors said the building had collapsed suddenly, without warning. |
"It became completely dark on this side," a witness said. "There was a lot of dust from the collapsing debris, so we ran downstairs. When we came out we saw the whole building collapsed." | "It became completely dark on this side," a witness said. "There was a lot of dust from the collapsing debris, so we ran downstairs. When we came out we saw the whole building collapsed." |
Only the ground floor of the building remained intact, officials said. | Only the ground floor of the building remained intact, officials said. |
"The whole building collapsed like a pancake within minutes. Most workers did not have any chance to escape," national fire department chief Ahmed Ali told AFP news agency. | "The whole building collapsed like a pancake within minutes. Most workers did not have any chance to escape," national fire department chief Ahmed Ali told AFP news agency. |
Speaking at the scene, Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir said the building had violated construction codes and "the culprits would be punished". | Speaking at the scene, Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir said the building had violated construction codes and "the culprits would be punished". |
In November, a fire at a garment factory in the Dhaka suburb of Tazreen drew international attention to working conditions in Bangladesh's textile industry. | In November, a fire at a garment factory in the Dhaka suburb of Tazreen drew international attention to working conditions in Bangladesh's textile industry. |
Primark, a clothes retailer with a large presence in Britain, confirmed that one of its suppliers was on the second floor of the Rana Plaza. | Primark, a clothes retailer with a large presence in Britain, confirmed that one of its suppliers was on the second floor of the Rana Plaza. |
It said it was "shocked and deeply saddened by the appalling incident" and that it would work with other retailers to review standards. | It said it was "shocked and deeply saddened by the appalling incident" and that it would work with other retailers to review standards. |
Discount giant Wal-Mart - which was found to be sourcing products from the Tazreen factory - said it was still trying to establish whether its goods were being produced at the Rana Plaza. | Discount giant Wal-Mart - which was found to be sourcing products from the Tazreen factory - said it was still trying to establish whether its goods were being produced at the Rana Plaza. |
"We remain committed and are actively engaged in promoting stronger safety measures, and that work continues,'' said Wal-Mart spokesman Kevin Gardner. | "We remain committed and are actively engaged in promoting stronger safety measures, and that work continues,'' said Wal-Mart spokesman Kevin Gardner. |
A company called New Wave, with two factories in the building, supplies firms from around Europe, the US and Canada. | A company called New Wave, with two factories in the building, supplies firms from around Europe, the US and Canada. |
Meanwhile, Spanish retailer Mango said it had not been using any of the suppliers in the building but had been in talks with one of them to produce a batch of test products. | Meanwhile, Spanish retailer Mango said it had not been using any of the suppliers in the building but had been in talks with one of them to produce a batch of test products. |
'Catch-22' | 'Catch-22' |
Edward Hertzman, a textiles broker based in New York, told Reuters news agency that pressure from US retailers to keep costs down was in part responsible for unsafe conditions. | Edward Hertzman, a textiles broker based in New York, told Reuters news agency that pressure from US retailers to keep costs down was in part responsible for unsafe conditions. |
"Bangladesh is the longest lead-time country and a difficult country to work in, so the only way it becomes competitive is by offering the lowest [cost]. That's the catch-22," he said. | "Bangladesh is the longest lead-time country and a difficult country to work in, so the only way it becomes competitive is by offering the lowest [cost]. That's the catch-22," he said. |
"If the factories want to raise prices to make up for rising wages and costs, the buyers say, 'Oh why do we want to go to Bangladesh if I could go to China, Pakistan, Cambodia etc for a similar price?" | "If the factories want to raise prices to make up for rising wages and costs, the buyers say, 'Oh why do we want to go to Bangladesh if I could go to China, Pakistan, Cambodia etc for a similar price?" |
He said if Western companies really wanted safety standards to improve, they would have to accept that they need to start paying higher prices. | He said if Western companies really wanted safety standards to improve, they would have to accept that they need to start paying higher prices. |
The last major building collapse in Bangladesh was in 2010, when a four-storey building in Dhaka caved in, killing at least 25 people and injuring several others. | The last major building collapse in Bangladesh was in 2010, when a four-storey building in Dhaka caved in, killing at least 25 people and injuring several others. |
In 2005, there was a building collapse near the site of Wednesday's incident, killing 64 people. | In 2005, there was a building collapse near the site of Wednesday's incident, killing 64 people. |