Tragic Garment Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 people have died after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the number of victims could climb.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in seeking their loved ones still missing.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities reported.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also releases toxic fumes when combusted.
Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed 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 reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant source of economic income for the South Asian economy.
