Deadly Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 people have perished after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been recovered but were burned unrecognizable, the firefighters said.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their loved ones still missing.
The blaze, which started at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources said.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when combusted.
Security personnel are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing 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 have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he expressed to news media.
The devastating event has another time emphasized the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a crucial provider of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
