Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 persons have lost their lives after a huge fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in looking for their loved ones still not found.
The inferno, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, media reports indicated.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director told journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he added.
Tearful family members stood outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a significant provider of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
