Deadly Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a huge fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the firefighters said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, 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) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources said.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director informed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he expressed to reporters.
The tragic incident has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
