Moroccan Factory Fire Kills 55 on Eve of Workers Memorial Day

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/04/28/moroccan-factory-fire-kills-55-on-eve-of-workers-memorial-day/

by James Parks, Apr 28, 2008

The deaths of 55 workers in a fire at a mattress factory in Casablanca, Morocco, over the weekend, is a chilling reminder of how dangerous our workplaces can be. Today is Workers Memorial Day, the day workers around the world honor those who died on the job and reaffirm their commitment to make all workplaces safe.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) reports that more than 14 million people are taking part in some 13,000 activities today to highlight the plight of the more than 2.2 million workers who die every year and the 160 million more who become ill due to unsafe work and unsustainable forms of production.

The Casablanca blaze, which began on the ground floor of the Rosamor Ameublements, quickly engulfed the four-story building, trapping workers on the top floors, witnesses told the Associated Press (AP).

Published reports say an angry crowd outside the four-story building accused the factory owner of blocking the doors and emergency exit. Firefighters said many victims were trapped in the building’s spiral stairwell. Rachida Darif, a 29-year-old worker who escaped the blaze, told the AP many deaths occurred on the third floor, where women sewed:

We ran to the door. It was blocked, to the elevator, it was blocked. Then, oops, the lights went out.

She said she saved herself by crawling through a space to the roof, then jumping down to a neighboring building that was under construction. She used a construction cord to lower herself part of the way.

Nearly 100 of the factory’s 150 employees were on site when the fire began and it took more than 100 firefighters more than three hours to bring it under control, local government officials said.

FULL story at link.