Devastating Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 people have perished after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred impossible to identify, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their loved ones still missing.
The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Emergency responders have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has once again underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a significant contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.
