Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- The death toll from a fire that raged through an apparel factory in Ashulia rose to 124 till Sunday morning, local media reported.
The fire that started at Tazreen Fashion near Dhaka Export Processing Zone in Ashulia on Saturday evening came under control around 5:55am Sunday, Fire Service and Civil Defence officials said.
The death toll may rise as rescue operation was going on when this report was filed around 12:15, they added.
Initially nine deaths were recorded on Saturday night and more 115 charred bodies were recovered from the factory on Sunday morning.
Police, fire-fighters and witnesses on Saturday said those killed in the incident did not suffer burns, but they died after jumping off different floors of the eight-storey Tazreen Fashion at Nischintapur in a bid to escape the blaze that started on the ground floor around 6:50pm.
Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence Abu Naim Mohammad Shahidullah earlier told reporters at the spot that the fire might have originated from an electrical short circuit. However, he added, nothing could be said for sure before a thorough investigation.
BBN/SSR/AD-25Nov12-12:29 pm (BST)
