Deadly Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a massive fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the death toll could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters said.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director briefed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages millions of workers and is a major source of export earnings for the South Asian economy.
