Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Fatalities
At least 16 people have perished after a massive fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned impossible to identify, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts said.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he noted.
Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has once again underscored the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs countless of workers and is a significant contributor to economic income for the South Asian economy.
