Tragic Clothing Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service said.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he added.
Weeping family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages countless of workers and is a significant source of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
