Devastating Clothing Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 individuals have perished after a massive fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the fire service reported.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when burned.
Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a major provider of economic income for the South Asian economy.
