Deadly Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 people have perished after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire department stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their family members still not found.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources reported.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Tearful family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages millions of workers and is a significant provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
