Death toll in Casablanca fire at 55
Last Updated: 26/04/2008 19:03
Fire broke out at a mattress factory in the Moroccan coastal city of Casablanca on Saturday killing 55 people, state news agency MAP reported.
Twelve others including a police officer were seriously injured in the blaze which took hold on the ground floor of the factory and quickly engulfed the entire building, MAP said.
Over 100 fire-fighters were deployed to bring the blaze under control at the Rosamor Ameublements factory in the Hay Hassani neighbourhood of Morocco's economic capital.
Around 100 of the factory's 150 employees were on site when the fire broke out, MAP added, more than originally stated.
"The fire, which broke out around 10 a.m. in the four-storey factory ... spread rapidly throughout the factory because of the nature of the chemical products stored there," MAP said, citing a statement from Casablanca town hall.
An inquiry has been launched to determine the cause of the fire.
© 2008 ireland.com
55 people were killed today after a mattress factory in Casablanca, Morocco was swept by fire. The fire initiated on the ground floor this morning and quickly engulfed the entire building.

12 others were injured - seriously, according to the ''Irish Times'' - including one police officer. 100 firefighters were dispatched to the five-storey factory after the blaze broke out at 10 am local time. Earlier reports had indicated 25 deaths and eight people injured. ''MAP'', the state news agency, is quoted by the ''Irish Times'' as saying the building was four storeys high, citing in turn city officials.

The disaster occurred at the Rosamor Ameublements factory, which is located in the Hay Hassani area of the nation's economic centre. Of the 150 people the facility employed, around 60 were inside at the time.

An official statement by city authorities shows that preliminary investigation indicates onsite chemicals were responsible for the fire's rapid spread, but no actual cause has yet been determined. A full inquiry has been launched to investigate the accident fully.