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More than 170 dead in Bangladesh building collapse
April 25, 2013, 8:45 am

[Xinhua]

Officials say it is not clear how many people remain trapped in the wreckage [Xinhua]

Over 170 have died and over 700 have been injured in a building collapse in Savar on the outskirts of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Wednesday morning.

Officials say it is not clear how many people remain trapped in the wreckage and rescuers fear the death toll may rise significantly.

“70 bodies have been stored at the morgue of the Eman Medical College Hospital,” Shimul Shaha, an official at the private medical college was quoted by Xinhua.

Meanwhile, Habibur Rahman, Dhaka district’s police chief, said “13 more bodies have been kept at the Savar police station premises.”

Officials say nearly 700 people have been rushed to the hospitals.

Doctors said the death toll could rise as some of those injured are in critical condition.

The building, which contained four garment factories, a bank’s branch and hundreds of shops, collapsed at about 9:00 a.m. local time.

Bangladesh Army and paramilitary Border Guards personnel were called in to assist the rescue operation.

Source: Agencies