Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Takes at Least 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their loved ones still missing.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around midday, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also emits hazardous smoke when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he noted.
Weeping family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the country.
