Factory owner, son held after fire

Police detained the owner and manager of a Casablanca mattress factory where a fire killed at least 55 people, a police official said.

Factory owner Adil Moufareh and his son Abdelali, the plant manager, were detained for questioning, a police official said by telephone. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the fire and asked not to be identified.

Casablanca’s governor, Mohammed Kabbaj, attributed the high toll to the fact that 100 people were working at the time as well as flammable products. However, the head of Casablanca’s civil protection unit, Mustapha Taouil, said doors were reportedly locked.