Bangladesh building collapse toll approaches 800

SAVAR: The death toll in Bangladesh's worst industrial disaster approached the 800 mark as rescuers pulled out 48 more decomposed bodies today from the debris of the ill-fated eight-storey building that collapsed last month.

According to officials at the makeshift army control room here, the death toll hit 794 on the 15th day after the disaster.

While the number of people rescued alive remains unchanged at 2,437, they said.

Hundreds of bodies are still trapped under the debris of the illegally constructed Rana Plaza building as many have remained missing, local media reported.

The building in Savar near the capital Dhaka that housed five garment factories collapsed on April 24. It is still unclear how many people were there on that fateful day.

Police have charged the building owner Sohel Rana and five factory owners with causing deaths due to negligence and violating construction laws, charges punishable by a maximum seven years in jail.

According to police, the building owner illegally added three floors and allowed the factories to install generators.

Some of the survivors of the collapse alleged that the factory owners had forced them to work despite appearance of a huge crack on the building the day before it collapsed.