Indian PM condoles Bangladesh fire tragedy

Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh expressed condolences at loss of lives in fire tragedy in a garment factory in Bangladesh yesterday. At least 125 people had died in the devastating fire. In his condolence message, the Indian Premier said: "I am deeply saddened at the loss of life resulting from the fire in a garment factory outside Dhaka. On behalf of the government of India, I express to the government and people of Bangladesh our sincerest condolences at this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families." Besides the deaths, a large number of factory workers were injured in the fire. The fire was so devastating that it was being described as the country's worst ever factory blaze. Several fire tenders were put in use for several hours to douse the huge fire. Around 4,000 workers were inside the factory when the fire broke out. While 1,000 workers were trapped inside the factory, the rest 3,000 managed to escape. Some died after jumping from top of the six-storey building, while others died in the stampede, which ensued after the fire broke out, reported Press Trust of India (PTI). The fire broke out at the "Tazreen Fashion" factory near the country's capital city of Dhaka. The fire first reportedly started on the ground floor and soon spread across the factory. As the fire spread at a fast pace, the workers ran for safety, but were unable to escape since the exit points were too narrow. Bangladesh has around 4,500 garment factories and is said to be the world's biggest exporter of clothing after China, with garments making up 80 percent of its USD 24 billion annual exports.