Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Takes at Least 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 persons have perished after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services warning that the number of victims could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred impossible to identify, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around noon, was extinguished after three hours. But an neighboring 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 entirely put out, news sources indicated.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also emits poisonous gases when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director briefed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he mentioned.
Weeping family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages countless of workers and is a major provider of economic income for the South Asian economy.