Devastating Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Victims
At least 16 people have perished after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the death toll could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources indicated.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, synthetic polymers and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also emits hazardous smoke when combusted.
Police and military officers are still searching for the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he noted.
Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has another time emphasized the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a major contributor to economic income for the South Asian economy.
