Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 persons have perished after a massive fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the death toll could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service reported.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still missing.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he added.
Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he expressed to reporters.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs countless of workers and is a significant source of export earnings for the South Asian economy.
