Devastating Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 people have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred impossible to identify, the firefighters reported.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
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 confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports said.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also produces toxic fumes when combusted.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he added.
Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a major source of economic income for the nation.
