Tragic Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes a Minimum of 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the death toll could increase.
16 bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still missing.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources said.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when ignited.
Security personnel are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he added.
Tearful family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he expressed to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the country.
