Tragic Clothing Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 people have lost their lives after a enormous fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the number of victims could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred impossible to identify, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their family members still not found.
The inferno, which started at the factory around midday, was extinguished after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources said.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when ignited.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Tearful family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he expressed to news media.
The devastating event has yet again underscored the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which employs countless of workers and is a major source of economic income for the nation.