Devastating Clothing Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 people have perished after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could increase.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in search of their family members still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials said.
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 reported.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.
Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has another time highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the South Asian economy.
