Deadly Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the number of victims could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports said.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director told journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he told journalists.
The devastating event has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the South Asian economy.
