Over 200 trapped in rubble after Bangladesh factory collapses

DHAKA - Rescuers dug out at least five bodies and feared possibly hundreds more were trapped under rubble after a nine-storey building collapsed like a house of cards near the Bangladesh capital, witnesses said yesterday.

They said the building at Palashbari, 30 km from Dhaka, housed a

garment factory and the victims were employees working a late

Sunday shift.

Anxious residents were using mobile phones to try to contact

relatives trapped beneath the rubble and authorities have called in

extra police, army and paramilitary troops to bolster the rescue

effort.

 

So far around 80 injured men and women have been pulled from the

rubble, but narrow roads leading to the site were delaying efforts

to bring in cranes help remove concrete and cement slabs.

 

Police and fire fighters said the building came down with a bang

about an hour after midnight.

 

"In a few minutes the entire structure crumbled like a house of

cards," one witness told a private television channel.

 

One fireman said he had never seen such massive destruction.

 

"We suspect up to 500 people are under the debris.

 

It was a packed night shift running...and dozens may have died

already," one survivor told reporters on the scene.

 

"Until few minutes ago, my brother Jamal was calling me on my

mobile for help.

 

But now he has gone quiet," Ruma Begum said.

 

"I am still frantically trying to reach him on his mobile...but

there is no response.

 

Only Allah knows what has happened," she told reporters.

 

Local TV showed the remains of the factory as a huge pile

concrete and bricks.

 

Survivors were picking through the rubble and calling out for

survivors.

 

"Hey, how many are there with you," yelled one rescuer through a

gap in the rubble.

 

"Seven including myself," a feeble voice replied.

 

Police said they did not know what caused the building to

collapse.

 

- Nampa-Reuters

 

Anxious residents were using mobile phones to try to contact

relatives trapped beneath the rubble and authorities have called in

extra police, army and paramilitary troops to bolster the rescue

effort.So far around 80 injured men and women have been pulled from

the rubble, but narrow roads leading to the site were delaying

efforts to bring in cranes help remove concrete and cement

slabs.Police and fire fighters said the building came down with a

bang about an hour after midnight."In a few minutes the entire

structure crumbled like a house of cards," one witness told a

private television channel.One fireman said he had never seen such

massive destruction."We suspect up to 500 people are under the

debris.It was a packed night shift running...and dozens may have

died already," one survivor told reporters on the scene."Until few

minutes ago, my brother Jamal was calling me on my mobile for

help.But now he has gone quiet," Ruma Begum said."I am still

frantically trying to reach him on his mobile...but there is no

response.Only Allah knows what has happened," she told

reporters.Local TV showed the remains of the factory as a huge pile

concrete and bricks.Survivors were picking through the rubble and

calling out for survivors."Hey, how many are there with you,"

yelled one rescuer through a gap in the rubble."Seven including

myself," a feeble voice replied.Police said they did not know what

caused the building to collapse.- Nampa-Reuters

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