Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have perished after a massive fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned beyond recognition, the fire department said.
Heartbroken relatives gathered outside the multi-story factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on that day in seeking their family members still missing.
The fire, which started at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts indicated.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official briefed reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.
Crying family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to reporters.
The tragic incident has another time highlighted the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a major source of economic income for the country.
