28 garment workers killed in flooded factory in Morocco
A medical official has told Moroccan state television at least 28 workers died when heavy rains flooded an illegal garment factory in Tangier
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Heavy rains flooded an illegal garment factory in the northern Moroccan city of Tangier killing at least 28 workers Monday, state television quoted a medical official as saying.
That raised the death toll from 24, reported earlier by the Moroccan news agency MAP
Local authorities said firefighters and emergency workers rescued 10 people from the factory, in the basement of a residential villa. Rescuers searched for others who might have been trapped in the sudden flooding.
The total number of laborers at the site wasn't immediately known. An investigation was opened.
A shaken unidentified woman who emerged from the flooded basement told TanjaNews, a local site, that no one was prepared for the deadly deluge.
“There was nothing to worry about. We were working as usual,” the woman said. “And then because it was raining, as you can see ... the water started entering, a little water, even my shoes didn't get wet. But suddenly ..." She couldn't finish her sentence.
To meet growing international demand, numerous factories in Morocco, notably in Casablanca and Tangier, rely on unregulated shadow factories to speed up production and meet deadlines. Factories subcontract to such illegal units to better compete with cheaper Chinese and Turkish products.
Such hidden factories are mainly located in residential areas and up to 40 people often work in them, sometimes minors.
Long hours and low wages are a mark of such illegal work, usually in unsafe conditions, without fire extinguishers, emergency exits and indoor plumbing.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.