Deadly Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 persons have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the death toll could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their family members still missing.
The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when combusted.
Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a significant contributor to economic income for the nation.
