Devastating Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes a Minimum of 16 Lives
At least 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Distraught relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their family members still missing.
The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official told the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Tearful family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.
The tragic incident has yet again emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a crucial provider of export earnings for the country.
