Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
At least 16 persons have perished after a massive fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the fatality count could increase.
16 bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts said.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when burned.
Security personnel are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.
