Deadly Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 persons have died after a enormous fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the number of victims could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in looking for their family members still missing.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities 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 said.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the nation.
