Dhaka garment factory lost fire clearance in June, months before fire killed 112 people

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - A Bangladesh fire official says the garment factory where 112 people were killed in a blaze last month had lost its fire safety certification in June. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Also, factory owner Delwar Hossain told the AP he was only authorized to build a three-story facility but had expanded it illegally to eight stories and was adding a ninth at the time of the blaze.

Despite the violations, the facility was still producing clothes for Western companies such as Wal-Mart and Disney when the fire broke out Nov. 24. Government auditors say it is difficult to shut dangerous factories because of their powerful owners.