Tragic Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Has Taken at Least 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the number of victims could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated impossible to identify, the firefighters said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The blaze, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources indicated.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces toxic fumes when ignited.
Security personnel are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the country.