Building collapses in Bangladesh capital

A six-storey building housing a garment factory, shops and offices collapsed in the Bangladeshi capital today, with many trapped inside, a fire brigade spokesman said.

No casualties were immediately reported but witnesses saw rescuers transport about a dozen injured people to hospital.

The building collapsed in Dhaka’s central Tejgaon industrial district, fire brigade official Syed Hossain Khan told The Associated Press.

A rescue operation had been launched, he said.

Construction workers were adding a new storey to the building when it collapsed, a rescue worker said.

It was not immediately known how many people were inside the building, and there was confusion about whether the garment factory was open at the time.

United News of Bangladesh news agency reported that the building was being renovated to be turned into a medical centre.

On Thursday, a fire at a textile mill killed at least 54 workers and wounded dozens in south-eastern Chittagong city, 135 miles south east of Dhaka.