Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have lost their lives after a massive fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials cautioning that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service reported.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their family members still not found.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports said.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits poisonous gases when burned.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official told the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he mentioned.
Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to reporters.
The tragic incident has yet again underscored the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a major provider of export earnings for the nation.
