Tragic Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still missing.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces poisonous gases when burned.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director informed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he added.
Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial source of export earnings for the country.
