Tragic Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 persons have perished after a enormous fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire department stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in looking for their loved ones still missing.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports reported.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained bleaching powder, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces poisonous gases when ignited.
Security personnel are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he expressed to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again underscored the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages countless of workers and is a major source of foreign revenue for the nation.
