At least 52 people have been killed in a factory fire in Bangladesh. The fire was reported to have begun on Thursday night. 

Agencies said the five-story Hashem Foods Ltd. factory, in Rupganj, just outside Dhaka, was sending huge clouds of black smoke billowing into the sky.

Citing to fire officials, agencies reported on Friday that many others were trapped inside behind a locked door.

As mentioned in reports, police had initially given a toll of three dead, but then discovered piles of bodies after the fire was extinguished.

Reports say 52 bodies have been recovered so far, but the top two floors of the factory have yet to be searched.

The main exit of the factory, reports add, was locked from the inside and many of those who died were trapped.

Many workers had jumped from the upper floors of the factory, and at least 26 were injuried, reports say.

However, information about how many people were in the factory and how many were missing was not immediately available.