Wal-Mart distances itself from fatal fire in Bangladesh

Associated Press

DHAKA, Bangladesh

The garment factory in Bangladesh where a weekend fire killed at least 112 people had been making clothes for Wal-Mart without the giant U.S. retailer’s knowledge, Wal-Mart said Monday.

In a statement, Wal-Mart said that the Tazreen Fashions Ltd. factory no longer was authorized to produce merchandise for Wal-Mart but that a supplier subcontracted work to it “in direct violation of our policies.”

“Today, we have terminated the relationship with that supplier,” America’s biggest retailer said. “The fact that this occurred is extremely troubling to us, and we will continue to work across the apparel industry to improve fire-safety education and training in Bangladesh.”

The blaze Saturday was one of the deadliest fires of its kind in Bangladesh and threw a spotlight on the way the country’s garment factories often ignore safety in the rush to supply major retailers in the U.S. and Europe. More than 200 people have died over the past six years in garment-factory fires in Bangladesh.

Survivors of the latest tragedy said that an exit door was locked, fire extinguishers didn’t work and apparently were there just to impress inspectors, and when the fire alarm went off, workers were told by their bosses to go back to their sewing machines. Victims were trapped or jumped to their deaths from the eight-story building, which had no emergency exits.