Deadly Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the number of victims could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned beyond recognition, the fire department said.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still missing.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources indicated.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Tearful family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has once again emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the country.
