FLORENCE, ITALY – Fire at a Chinese-owned clothing factory killed at least seven workers on Sunday in the city of Prato, Tuscany. Prosecutors in Prato were preparing a manslaughter investigation.
Police said several suspects likely faced charges for the blaze that struck in the early hours of Sunday as 11 workers slept inside the Teresa Moda factory dormitory outside the center of Prato, near Florence.
Meanwhile rescuers continued to search for survivors beneath the rubble of the collapsed roof. Two were still in critical condition Monday. Among those sleeping in the dormitory when the fire erupted was a child, described as just a few years old by police.
Investigators believe a makeshift kitchen with many electric stoves was to blame. Firefighters were alerted to the weekend blaze by an off-duty policeman who saw smoke and heard screams as he drove by.