Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have died after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when burned.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official informed reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant provider of economic income for the country.
