Walmart Tied to Collapsed Building: Report

The number of dead after a building collapse near Dhaka, Bangladesh, has soared to at least 273, the BBC reports. Rescues continue, however, with more than 40 saved since yesterday. The fates of some 372 people remain uncertain following reports by their families. Meanwhile, "volatile" protests following the collapse have drawn some 10,000 people, police say, amid reports of attacks on factories and buses set alight. Authorities used tear gas and rubber bullets on the crowd.

Some have managed to speak to the media while still trapped in the rubble. "It would have been better to die than enduring such pain to live on," said one. Building owners—reportedly in hiding—as well as bosses of factories inside are due to appear in court next week, the BBC notes. As the collapse highlights the dangers of Bangladesh's garment industry, the AP reports the names of companies with links to the building. Ether Tex, which had 530 workers in the building, says it supplies Walmart, while New Wave supplies Mango, Dress Barn, and the Children's Place, among others. Dress Barn and the Children's Place, however, say they weren't involved with the building when the collapse occurred. Walmart is investigating whether any of the factories were producing garments for it at the time of the collapse. (More Bangladesh stories.)