23 people killed in huge factory blaze in Khartoum
December 3, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – About 23 workers were killed as a result of a huge blaze in a ceramic factory in Khartoum North, Sudanese authority said on Tuesday.
The Sudanese authorities said over 130 people were injured in addition to the 23 victims.
Also, the Indian embassy in Khartoum issued an advisory note saying there “several casualties and injuries” among Indian workers without further details.
The statement added that 50 Indian nationals are employed by the factory.
For his part, Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok issued a statement from Washington to present his condolences for the victims and said that preliminary reports indicate the absence of necessary safety tools.
“The random storage of flammable materials contributed to the continuation and expansion of the fire and the destruction of the factory completely,” he further said.
“The Council of Ministers will form a committee of inquiry to determine the responsibilities and avoid the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents in the future,” he concluded.
The Sudanese Medical Association issued several statements calling on doctors to join their hospitals.
The independent group established by the pro-democracy movement further said there are five serious cases among the 130 injured workers.
” The tragedy revealed the weakness of the occupational safety and health procedures and the absence of an effective system or crisis room to respond to disasters and emergencies in our beloved country,” the medical group further stressed.
(ST)