Deadly Clothing Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire erupted at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the death toll could increase.
16 bodies have been found but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters said.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in looking for their family members still missing.
The blaze, which started at the factory around noon, was extinguished after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he mentioned.
Weeping family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man looking frantically for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.
The tragic incident has once again highlighted the safety concerns affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant provider of export earnings for the country.
