Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire service said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Tearful family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he expressed to news media.
The tragic incident has yet again underscored the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial provider of export earnings for the country.
