Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
At least 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the number of victims could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their family members still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he noted.
Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a crucial source of export earnings for the nation.
