Devastating Clothing Factory Fire in Bangladesh Takes a Minimum of 16 Victims
At least 16 people have perished after a massive fire started at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the firefighters stated.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in looking for their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which started at the factory around noon, was put out after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
According to eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Security personnel are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed journalists.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he noted.
Weeping family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping 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 hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to news media.
The tragic incident has once again underscored the security issues facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs millions of workers and is a major contributor to export earnings for the nation.
