Tragic Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Takes at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 people have perished after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could climb.
16 bodies have been found but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service reported.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports indicated.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also releases toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official told the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them 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 haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a major source of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
