Devastating Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have perished after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their family members still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he added.
Weeping family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to journalists.
The tragic incident has yet again emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial provider of export earnings for the nation.
