Deadly Garment Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have perished after a huge fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.
16 bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service reported.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The blaze, which started at the factory around noon, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, officials confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts said.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when burned.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Crying family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to journalists.
The tragic incident has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the nation.
