Devastating Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 persons have lost their lives after a massive fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the number of victims could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still not found.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was put out after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.
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 indicated.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he added.
Tearful family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"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 emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages countless of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the nation.
