Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a huge fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the fatality count could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service reported.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in search of their family members still missing.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources said.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when ignited.
Security personnel are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.
Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages millions of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the nation.
