Owner of gutted Bangladesh factory says unaware of need for fire exits

HAKA (AP) - The owner of a Bangladesh clothing factory where a fire killed 112 people said he was never informed that the facility was required to have an emergency exit, a sign of how far removed the leaders of the nation's garment industry are from issues of worker safety.

"It was my fault. But nobody told me that there was no emergency exit, which could be made accessible from outside," factory owner Delwar Hossain was quoted on Thursday as telling The Daily Star newspaper.

"Nobody even advised me to install one like that, apart from the existing ones," he said. "I could have done it. But nobody ever suggested that I do it."

Activists in the South Asian country hope the tragedy will invigorate their lengthy - but fruitless - efforts to upgrade safety standards and force stronger government oversight of the powerful industry.