B'desh industrial fire toll rises to 56

BANGLADESH: Four more workers injured in Bangladesh's worst industrial blaze have died, bringing the death toll to 56, police said Saturday.

The accident in the southern port city of Chittagong happened February 23 when fire swept through the KTS Composite textile factory packed with up to 500 night-shift workers.

The four died from injuries at hospitals in Chittagong, police sub-inspector Mohammad Shahabuddin told AFP. Two of the deaths occured late Friday while the other two happened earlier in the week, he said.

Aside from the 56 who have died from the blaze, over 100 were injured.

At least 25 burn victims were still being treated at Chittagong Medical Hospital, police said. Most were in serious condition.

The poorly equipped firefighters were forced to call in soldiers to help douse the blaze which Bangladesh's fire department called the worst industrial fire accident since the impoverished nation became independent in 1971.

Following the blaze, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia ordered a safety crackdown at the nation's more than 4,000 garment and textile factories where worker protection rules are often flouted.

CHITTAGONG, Sunday, AFP