Deadly Clothing Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken at Least 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 individuals have died after a huge fire broke out at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the death toll could climb.
16 bodies have been found but were incinerated unrecognizable, the firefighters reported.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in seeking their loved ones still not found.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after multiple hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports reported.
Emergency responders have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces hazardous smoke when ignited.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director briefed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Tearful family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for numerous of workers and is a significant provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
