Tragic Apparel Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 people have lost their lives after a massive fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the fatality count could increase.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire department reported.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in search of their dear ones still missing.
The inferno, which started at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, journalistic accounts said.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Synthetic materials also emits poisonous gases when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury informed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he noted.
Weeping family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my daughter back," he stated to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has once again emphasized the safety concerns plaguing Bangladesh's garment industry, which employs countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to economic income for the country.
