Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still missing.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources indicated.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also emits toxic fumes when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he added.
Tearful family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the country.
