Tragic Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 individuals have perished after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the number of victims could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the firefighters reported.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still missing.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources said.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he noted.
Crying family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time underscored the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the country.
