SA factory fire victims 'locked in'

Emergency workers remove a victim from the devastated building

Police in South Africa say that at least 11 people are dead after fire raged through a factory in Johannesburg.

A police spokesman said the fire seemed to have started when a gas-bottle exploded, triggering a blaze in the floor polish factory in Lenasia, a suburb in the south of the city.

Police are investigating reports that the victims were workers who had been locked in the ESS Chemicals factory building without an emergency escape route.

Superintendent Richard Luvengho said those trapped by the fire had run to the back of the building in panic, but had found exit points blocked or locked.

He said the company had had a responsibility to provide a fire escape, but the expert evidence gathered so far indicated that this had not been done.

Prosecution

The company faces possible prosecution for failing to provide access to a fire escape.

Police say they are also looking at claims that the company was storing chemicals that should not have been in the building, or which should have been stored more safely.

Police and firefighters have already removed some bodies from the burnt-out building, but are searching for others.

The roof caved in during the blaze, slowing down recovery.

Superintendent Richard Luvhengo said: "The owner said there should have been 13 people on the night shift, but he said one did not come in.

"But then we only got 11 names, so we're not sure whether we're looking for 11 bodies or for 12."