At least 16 Bangladeshi nationals have been killed in a devastating fire in Saudi Arabia, according to a notification issued by the Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry early today.

The fire broke out at a sofa factory in the Musa Industrial Area under the Al-Shifa police station in Riyadh around 2:00pm yesterday, killing 16 people on the spot, said the notification, quoting fire service personnel working there.

The notification quoted witnesses as saying all the victims were from Bangladesh.

The local fire service was still carrying out rescue operations when the notification was issued around 1:30am today (Bangladesh time).

The Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh has expressed deep sorrow over the incident.

Officials are present at the site and remain in close contact with Saudi authorities to identify the victims, according to the notification that quoted Rezae Rabbie, counsellor (labour) of the Labour Welfare Wing at the Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh.

In a press release issued just hours earlier, Expatriates’ Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury said seven Bangladeshi workers from Naogaon’s Atrai upazila were killed in the fire.

*Note: This reported was updated with latest information at 2:30am