The owner of the factory, Solly Lachporia, had locked the doors of the floor polish plant, sealing the graves of the 10 women workers and one male supervisor.

Press reports said gas bottles in the plant exploded and began burning a barrel of chemicals illegally stored on the shop floor.

Margaret Washington, who took the night off due to an injury, confirmed that the boss regularly locked workers in to prevent "theft."

In a statement, the African National Congress said it regretted that there were employers who "lock their workers away as if they are vicious dogs which pose a threat to passers-by."

A Congress of South African Trade Unions statement said: "This tragic event serves as a warning against attempts to weaken the protection the labor laws now give to workers.

"It underlines the need, rather, to strengthen those laws and ensure they are rigorously implemented. In particular, as the law requires, every factory must establish a workers' health and safety committee."  
 
 
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