Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 persons have perished after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the number of victims could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire service said.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports indicated.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he expressed to news media.
The devastating event has yet again emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the nation.
