Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims
At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could climb.
16 bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their loved ones still not found.
The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts said.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.
Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a significant source of export earnings for the nation.
