At least 72 people were killed after one of the deadliest industrial fires in the history of the Philippines engulfed a slipper factory in Valenzuela City. The death toll rose as firefighters pulled one body after another from the charred building, according to local officials.

The fire broke out at a factory owned by Kentex Manufacturing Corporation, which produces the flip-flop brand "Havana," a local knockoff of the Brazilian brand "Havaianas," Agence France Presse reported.

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According to the city mayor, Rex Gatchalian, initial investigations indicated that the fire was caused by welders at the metal front gate of Kentex factory, who sparked nearby chemicals used in making rubber slippers. He added that the factory workers fled to the second floor, but they got trapped. The fire continued for over five hours.

Local police are now opening a criminal investigation into the massive blaze.

A day after the fire, most of the bodies had been retrieved from the two-story factory. However, recent updates confirmed that 10 factory workers were still reportedly missing.

Police officials said that more than 40 officers from the forensic examination team of the Philippine National Police were dispatched Thursday to gather evidence.

The officers are in the process of identifying the dead and determining whether they are among those listed as missing.

Meanwhile, public outrage arose, and many are questioning whether the factory followed fire and building safety standards.

City and fire officials said it was still too early to determine who was to blame for the fire or if violations of city safety codes had indeed been violated. Despite that, labor activist groups in the Philippines had already taken to the Manila streets to protest and call for an investigation of the factory owners, as reported by New York Times.

Among those missing were the daughter, granddaughter, sister-in-law, and niece of Dionesio Candido. He said in an interview that iron grills on the windows of the second floor prevented the workers to escape.

Other relatives of the victims were also quoted by local media as saying that their kin sent frantic text messages to them, asking for help. Unfortunately, contact was soon lost from their loved ones.

Police Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina said police will be filing charges against "all those accountable and those at fault."

The owners of the factory already promised to help the families of the victims, according to Mayor Gatchalian, but it appears though that some of the owners of the factory also suffered from the tragic incident. Tristan Ong, son of the factory owners and also a part-owner, was one of the victims. Part-owner Heidi Pang also died from the blaze, reported Quartz.

Mel Jose Lagan, Valenzuela City's fire marshal, said that arson investigators are looking into why the workers were unable to escape when there was a "sufficient exit" at the second floor, which include a wide stairway at the back leading outside. Investigators will also look into whether there were more people inside than allowed.

As of now, it is difficult to determine how many exactly were inside the factory during the fire, as the foreman is among the victims and the workers log book was burned.

Since fingerprints were already rendered unusable in identifying the deceased victims, forensic officers are now relying on dental records, DNA, and personal items in identifying the bodies, said Chief Emmanuel Aranas of the National Police Medical Examiner's Office.

Tagsfactory fire Philippines, factory fire, Kentex Manufacturing Corporation, Valenzuela City, Manila, rubber slipper factory fire, Havana factory fire, footwear factory fire philippines