SAVAR BUILDING COLLAPSE
Death toll jumps to 346
32 more rescued alive; 335 bodies handed over to relatives
The death toll from the Savar building collapse has risen to 346 as rescue workers recovered 17 more bodies from beneath the rubble of the nine-storey building on Saturday.
At least 32 people were pulled out of the rubble alive on Saturday. So far, 2,429 people have been rescued from the debris since the building caved in on Wednesday morning.
With the new tally, a total of 346 bodies have been recovered till 6:00pm Saturday, said Director of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Shahinul Islam.
Three hundred and thirty five bodies were handed over to their relatives, he added.
He told this at a press conference in the police control room set up at Savar Adharchandra High School.
Brigadier General Abu Sayed Mohammad Masud, director general of Special Works Organisation (SWO) (west), said heavy equipment will be placed in front of the debris Saturday night.
But he remained coy about when the equipment would be used as he said the rescue effort will go on till saving the last survivor.
The control room sources said they fell short of Oxygen kits needed to help the survivors.
A rescue team of fire fighters found three people alive in the second floor in the morning and rescued them around noon, nearly 75 hours after the building crumbled like a pack of cards, reported our correspondent from the spot.
Another team of firemen was seen trying to rescue a trapped victim, who is also alive, boring a hole into the rubble around noon.
Meanwhile, doctors at Enam Medical College and Hospital in Savar on Saturday urged donors not to donate blood till further notice since the blood already in the storage is sufficient to support the victims for next seven days.
People from all walks of life have donated blood voluntarily after different organised launched a campaign in this regard.
Rescue workers are not using any heavy equipment at the site as there are more people still alive inside the sandwiched building, the commanding officer said.
Two powerful cranes — one of Orion Group while another of Beximco Group — were moved to the site on Saturday.
The rescuers were seen relentless in their efforts to rescue the trapped people.
The building came crashing down on around 3,000 garment workers Wednesday morning, a day after some cracks developed on a few pillars and floors.
The building’s owner, Sohel Rana, a leader of the ruling Awami League’s youth wing Jubo League, had dismissed the risks and kept the building open for business.