Tragic Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 individuals have lost their lives after a massive fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the fatality count could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still missing.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around midday, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby 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 said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when ignited.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs countless of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the South Asian economy.
