Devastating Clothing Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 people have died after a massive fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports reported.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director briefed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he added.
Crying family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
