Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have died after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could rise.
16 bodies have been found but were incinerated beyond recognition, the fire department stated.
Heartbroken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The inferno, which started at the factory around noon, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources reported.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the department director briefed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he noted.
Crying family members gathered outside the fire-damaged buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to journalists.
The catastrophic occurrence has another time highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the nation.