Around the World: Morocco

Factory fire kills 55

Fire broke out at a mattress factory in the Moroccan city of Casablanca on Saturday, killing 55 people, and fire-fighters were still searching the smouldering building for more bodies.

Twelve others including a police officer were seriously injured in the blaze which began on the ground floor of the factory and quickly engulfed the four-storey building, trapping workers on the upper floors, witnesses said.

Around 100 of the factory's 150 employees were on site when the fire began at around 10 am and it took more than 100 fire-fighters over three hours to bring it under control.

(China Daily 04/28/2008 page6)