Devastating Clothing Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 people have died after a massive fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the number of victims could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters reported.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still not found.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities confirmed.
As late as 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 established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official told reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Tearful family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he expressed to news media.
The devastating event has another time emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the South Asian economy.
