Devastating Apparel Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Claims at Least 16 Fatalities
At least 16 individuals have died after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the number of victims could rise.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were burned unrecognizable, the firefighters said.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their loved ones still not found.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around midday, was put out after multiple hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources reported.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases poisonous gases when combusted.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the operators of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official briefed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also ongoing, he noted.
Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them holding photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I was informed of the fire, I came running. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which provides jobs for millions of workers and is a significant source of foreign revenue for the country.
