Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken at Least 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have died after a massive fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the death toll could climb.
16 bodies have been found but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources reported.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also produces poisonous gases when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he added.
Weeping family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages millions of workers and is a significant provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
