Death toll in Mongla factory building collapse has climbed to six after rescuers found two more bodies.
Many others are feared trapped under the debris of the under construction milling house of army-managed Mongla Cement Factory in Bagerhat.
The roof of the building gave in around 1pm on Thursday.
Fire Service’s Bagerhat Station in-charge Jainal Abedin said from the scene that they found six bodies until midnight.Deputy Director Mizanur Rahman said they feared over 50 construction workers were trapped ‘alive or dead’ under the debris while more than 50 others were injured.
Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Jahangir Alam said over 100 workers started to build the roof of the milling house, which was as high as a four-storey building, in the morning.
“The roof collapsed sometime between 1pm and 1:30pm. Many workers were trapped under centring pipes, rods and casting materials,” he added.
Earlier, Mongla police’s Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Uttam Chatterjee said around a hundred workers were wounded in the accident.
Mongla Cement Factory, established by the Sena Kalyan Sangstha (army welfare association) beside the river Pashur in 1994, makes Elephant Brand cement.
Navy, Coastguards and fire service launched a rescue operation immediately after the accident.
The bodies of four workers were sent to the Mongla Port Hospital.
Doctor Prakash Chandra Mandal identified three of them as Maharuf Hawlader, Amir Akandi and Al Amin.
Over 50 injured workers were admitted to Mongla Port Hospital and the Khulna Medical College and Hospital.
One of the injured workers, Golam Mostafa, said 50-60 workers were working on the roof of the third floor of the building and some others on the ground floor when the roof caved in.
Owners of the facrory complex have told journalists that construction fault might have been the cause of the accident. – bdnews23.com
