Bangladesh factory collapse: Fire breaks out, hampering rescue mission
Bangladeshi volunteers and rescue workers assist in rescue operations 48 hours after an eight-story building collapsed in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, on April 26, 2013.
A fire has broken out at the site of the collapsed factory in Bangladesh, hampering rescue efforts and sending four firefighters to the hospital.
The blaze was reportedly started by sparks coming off of cutters being used to get rid of the wreckage at Rana Plaza.
The machinery was being used to get to a trapped woman who was stuck behind a steel rod when the fire broke out, volunteer rescuer Syed Al-Amin Roman told the Associated Press, adding that at least three rescue workers were injured in the fire.
The presence of clothing at the site could be fueling the flames further, and firefighters were at work Sunday night trying to douse the fire.
“Hopefully we will be able to control it,” Brig. Gen. Mohammed Siddiqul Alam Shikder, who is overseeing rescue operations at the site, told the AP.
Two people were pulled out of the wreckage alive earlier on Sunday, though hopes of finding survivors amongst the thousands of missing workers are fading as the days pass, BBC News reported.
News of the blaze comes just hours after the factory's owner, Mohammed Sohel Rana, was arrested trying to flee the country. He faces charges of negligence.
More from GlobalPost: Mohammed Sohel Rana, owner of collapsed Bangladesh building, arrested trying to flee (PHOTOS)
There is no paywall on the story you just read because a community of dedicated listeners and readers have contributed to keep the global news you rely on free and accessible for all. Will you join the 319 donors who have supported The World so far? From now until Dec. 31, your gift will help us unlock a $67,000 match. Donate today to double your impact!