MANILA, Philippines, MAy 14 (Reuters) — The families of missing factory workers waited outside a burnt-out building in the Philippine capital, on Thursday (May 14) as police investigators removed further bodies following a fire that killed over 30 people.
The fire broke out at the two-storey rubber footwear factory building of Kentex Manufacturing Inc on Wednesday (May 13), trapping dozens of workers inside.
Ariel Barayuga, head of Bureau of Fire Protection, said investigators were trying to determine the cause.
One worker had said it may have started by a spark from a welding machine.
Some family members and co-workers of the missing waited overnight. The father of one factory worker, Dionisio Candido said he hoped he might be able to recognize her body.
“I was hoping that if I saw the body, I would be able to recognize her, but when I saw the remains, I couldn’t. Any parent will not recognize their child from the burnt skeletons,” he said.
The local government said at least 18 bodies were recovered from the building and retrieval operations were ongoing.
Fifty three workers were still reported missing, the local government said.
About 200 to 300 people worked in the factory, Veato Ang, the factory owner said.
