Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Lives
At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a enormous fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports indicated.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when ignited.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has another time emphasized the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial provider of foreign revenue for the country.
