Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
At least 16 persons have perished after a enormous fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the number of victims could increase.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around noon, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also releases toxic fumes when burned.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.
Weeping family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to reporters.
The tragic incident has once again underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
