Deadly Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 individuals have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the number of victims could increase.
16 bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still not found.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports reported.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official told journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Crying family members waited outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has once again emphasized the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the nation.
