<p>At least 137 people were killed and scores injured when a major fire engulfed a multi-storey garment factory on the outskirts of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka and an under-construction flyover collapsed in the southeastern port city of Chittagong, officials said today.<br /><br />In one of the worst fire tragedies in the country, a blaze broke out at Tazrin Fashion factory in suburban Ashulia Savar, 30 km from Dhaka, last night and quickly spread to the ground and first floors of the six-storey building.</p>.<p>"We have so far retrieved 124 bodies (and) rescue campaign is still underway," Major Mahbub Hossain, a senior fire service official, told PTI over phone, adding that most of the bodies were found severely charred.</p>.<p>He said the toll could rise.<br /><br />In another incident, an under-construction flyover collapsed in Chittagong, leaving 13 people dead and over 50 injured.</p>.<p>At around 8:00 pm last night, three concrete girders of the flyover fell on some people, mostly vegetable vendors, local media reported.<br /><br />A 5-member probe panel has been formed to investigate the incident. It was asked to submit its report within three days.<br /><br />Mohd Abdul Mannan, Assistant Director of Fire Service and Civil Defence, was quoted as saying by The Daily Star that 13 people died in the accident.<br /><br />President Zillur Rahman expressed his deep shock and sorrow at loss of lives in the two tragic incidents.<br /><br />In a condolence message, he conveyed his deep sympathies to members of the bereaved families.<br /><br />The President asked the concerned authorities to put in their highest efforts for ensuring proper treatment of the injured people.<br /><br />Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also voiced shock at the loss of so many lives and asked authorities to conduct thorough search-and-rescue operations.<br /><br />About the garment factory blaze, witnesses said it was the worst fire tragedy in recent years.<br /><br />Fire service officials earlier said several workers of the factory were trapped inside and took shelter on the rooftop of the structure awaiting rescuers.</p>.<p>Authorities had mobilised several fire fighting units to douse the blaze.<br /><br />Television footage showed army troops and fire service rescuers bringing out bodies one after another from the debris as hundreds of people, including relatives of the victims, waited outside.<br /><br />General Officer Commanding of nearby Savar Cantonment Maj Gen Syed Hassan Suhrawardy, who was overseeing the rescue campaign, said the bodies would be kept at a nearby primary school premises from where relatives could take them for burial.<br /><br />Many workers jumped from the factory's upper floors to escape the flames before firefighters arrived to put the blaze out.<br /><br />The cause was not immediately known but such fires are usually blamed on short circuits.<br />Authorities called out extra police force at the scene as angry relatives and fellow workers damaged a fire engine, protesting the delay in dousing the blaze.<br /><br />According to media reports, Tazrin Fashion made clothes for the Dutch chain C&A and the Hong Kong supplier Li & Fung.</p>
<p>At least 137 people were killed and scores injured when a major fire engulfed a multi-storey garment factory on the outskirts of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka and an under-construction flyover collapsed in the southeastern port city of Chittagong, officials said today.<br /><br />In one of the worst fire tragedies in the country, a blaze broke out at Tazrin Fashion factory in suburban Ashulia Savar, 30 km from Dhaka, last night and quickly spread to the ground and first floors of the six-storey building.</p>.<p>"We have so far retrieved 124 bodies (and) rescue campaign is still underway," Major Mahbub Hossain, a senior fire service official, told PTI over phone, adding that most of the bodies were found severely charred.</p>.<p>He said the toll could rise.<br /><br />In another incident, an under-construction flyover collapsed in Chittagong, leaving 13 people dead and over 50 injured.</p>.<p>At around 8:00 pm last night, three concrete girders of the flyover fell on some people, mostly vegetable vendors, local media reported.<br /><br />A 5-member probe panel has been formed to investigate the incident. It was asked to submit its report within three days.<br /><br />Mohd Abdul Mannan, Assistant Director of Fire Service and Civil Defence, was quoted as saying by The Daily Star that 13 people died in the accident.<br /><br />President Zillur Rahman expressed his deep shock and sorrow at loss of lives in the two tragic incidents.<br /><br />In a condolence message, he conveyed his deep sympathies to members of the bereaved families.<br /><br />The President asked the concerned authorities to put in their highest efforts for ensuring proper treatment of the injured people.<br /><br />Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also voiced shock at the loss of so many lives and asked authorities to conduct thorough search-and-rescue operations.<br /><br />About the garment factory blaze, witnesses said it was the worst fire tragedy in recent years.<br /><br />Fire service officials earlier said several workers of the factory were trapped inside and took shelter on the rooftop of the structure awaiting rescuers.</p>.<p>Authorities had mobilised several fire fighting units to douse the blaze.<br /><br />Television footage showed army troops and fire service rescuers bringing out bodies one after another from the debris as hundreds of people, including relatives of the victims, waited outside.<br /><br />General Officer Commanding of nearby Savar Cantonment Maj Gen Syed Hassan Suhrawardy, who was overseeing the rescue campaign, said the bodies would be kept at a nearby primary school premises from where relatives could take them for burial.<br /><br />Many workers jumped from the factory's upper floors to escape the flames before firefighters arrived to put the blaze out.<br /><br />The cause was not immediately known but such fires are usually blamed on short circuits.<br />Authorities called out extra police force at the scene as angry relatives and fellow workers damaged a fire engine, protesting the delay in dousing the blaze.<br /><br />According to media reports, Tazrin Fashion made clothes for the Dutch chain C&A and the Hong Kong supplier Li & Fung.</p>