Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the fatality count could increase.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service reported.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still not found.
The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports indicated.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
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 the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he noted.
Crying family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he told news media.
The tragic incident has once again underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a major provider of foreign revenue for the country.
