Deadly Garment Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 people have lost their lives after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the number of victims could increase.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were charred impossible to identify, the firefighters stated.
Grief-stricken relatives assembled outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their family members still unaccounted for.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, emergency services confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when ignited.
Police and military officers are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official briefed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he mentioned.
Tearful family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has once again emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the nation.
