Devastating Garment Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Has Taken at Least 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire department said.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to export earnings for the South Asian economy.
