Deadly Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
At least 16 people have died after a enormous fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities cautioning that the fatality count could rise.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department reported.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still not found.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports reported.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Polymer products also produces hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also in progress, he noted.
Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he expressed to news media.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the security issues affecting Bangladesh's garment industry, which engages countless of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
