Devastating Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes a Minimum of 16 Victims
A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a massive fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the number of victims could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire service said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their family members still missing.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources indicated.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he added.
Weeping family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"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 reporters.
The devastating event has yet again emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages millions of workers and is a crucial provider of economic income for the nation.
