The death toll from the collapse of the roof of a five-story cement factory in Bangladesh rose to at least seven Friday, a government official said.
M. Jahangir Alam, the local chief government administrator in Mongla in Bagerhat district, where the accident happened Thursday, said rescue work was underway but there was no estimate for the number of people feared trapped. Around 150 people were working when roof collapsed at the seaside factory 135 km southwest of Dhaka. The cause of the collapse is under investigation.
Survivors said 50 to 60 people were working on the roof while others were on the ground floor when the collapse occurred. The factory is owned by an army welfare organization, the United News of Bangladesh news agency reported.
Building structural safety is a problem in Bangladesh, with engineering surveys showing that many factories violate building codes by using substandard materials or adding extra floors that the building foundations can not support.
In April 2013, a building housing numerous garment factories collapsed in Dhaka, killing more than 1,100 people.
