Tragic Garment Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Takes a Minimum of 16 Fatalities
At least 16 persons have perished after a huge fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in looking for their family members still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around midday, was brought under control after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources said.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again highlighted the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a significant contributor to export earnings for the nation.
