Bangladesh authorities charged 13 people with Culpable Homicide in the raging fire that killed 112 people in a garment factory in November 2012.  It’s the first time that prosecutors charged factory owners in the world’s second-largest garment industry.

The factory produced clothing for global brands including Wal-Mart.  But it had no emergency fire exits, and its location in a narrow alley meant firefighters were unable to reach the flames. 

Those charged include Tazreen Fashions Ltd. Factory owners Delwar Hossain and his wife, Mahmuda Akter, as well as 11 factory managers, security guards and engineers.  They face life in prison if convicted.

“The managers and security guards misguided the workers by saying that it was nothing but a part of a regular fire drill when the blaze broke out,” said Prosecutor Anwarul Kabir Babul.  “So the workers went back to work after the fire alarm went off, but they got trapped as the managers locked the gates.”

One week ago, a government report cited “unpardonable negligence” and demanded charges be filed. 

“The owner of the factory cannot be indemnified from the death of large numbers of workers from this fire,” said Uddin Khandaker, the official who led the inquiry, last week.  “Unpardonable negligence of the owner is responsible for the death of workers.”