Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 people have perished after a massive fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the death toll could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he mentioned.
Crying family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he told news media.
The tragic incident has yet again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the nation.
