Tragic Clothing Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Lives
At least 16 people have perished after a huge fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the number of victims could increase.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned beyond recognition, the firefighters stated.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still not found.
The inferno, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse remained ablaze, authorities 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 said.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Synthetic materials also produces poisonous gases when burned.
Security personnel are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the department director told the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Weeping family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he stated to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the nation.