Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 people have lost their lives after a enormous fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the death toll could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when combusted.
Security personnel are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to news media.
The tragic incident has another time highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a major provider of export earnings for the country.
