At least 20 die in factory blaze

At least 20 people died when a rubber factory on the outskirts of Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, went up in flames in the early hours of Monday, according to fire service officials. The cause of the fire, which gutted the premises of the Chinese-owned West Africa Rubber Products Limited and Super Engineering Limited in Ikorodu, 40 km north of Lagos, remained unknown on Tuesday. However, factory workers who survived the blaze said it was triggered by an explosion, and that escape was difficult for most of the workers because the premises were locked. Lagos State director of fire and safety services, Olu Okubanjo, who headed rescue operations, told reporters that 20 bodies had so far been recovered from the blaze, which was still smouldering. "Until the fire is completely out, no intensive search can be undertaken to fish out those trapped in the wreckage," he said. "Until that is done, the number [of the dead] cannot be ascertained." Riot police battled groups of youths at the scene on Monday, as they tried to loot the companies' warehouse or tackle top management officials. The youths accused the managers of locking workers into the factory and hampering their escape when disaster struck. Both companies have been operating in Nigeria for more than two decades, employing thousands of people.