Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which started at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports indicated.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Weeping family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he told journalists.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a significant contributor to export earnings for the nation.
