Devastating Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
At least 16 people have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the number of victims could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources reported.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he noted.
Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"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 expressed to reporters.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant provider of foreign revenue for the country.
