Tragic Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a enormous fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the fatality count could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service reported.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still not found.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits hazardous smoke when burned.
Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he noted.
Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has yet again underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a major provider of export earnings for the country.
