Devastating Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 people have died after a huge fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the number of victims could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still not found.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources reported.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also produces poisonous gases when ignited.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director informed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he noted.
Tearful family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately 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 child back," he expressed to journalists.
The tragic incident has once again underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the nation.
