Deadly Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have perished after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service reported.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which started at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also releases toxic fumes when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Weeping family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching 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 cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has another time emphasized the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs millions of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the country.
