Tragic Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Takes no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 persons have died after a huge fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could climb.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire service reported.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their family members still unaccounted for.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports reported.
Emergency responders have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also produces toxic fumes when combusted.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official told the media.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he mentioned.
Crying family members waited outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my child back," he stated to news media.
The devastating event has yet again highlighted the security issues facing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.
