Devastating Apparel Factory Inferno in the South Asian nation Claims no Fewer than 16 Lives
No fewer than 16 people have died after a massive fire started at a apparel factory in Bangladesh, with authorities stating that the fatality count could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been recovered but were charred beyond recognition, the fire service stated.
Grief-stricken relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was extinguished after multiple hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials confirmed.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Plastic also releases toxic fumes when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also in progress, he mentioned.
Crying family members gathered outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Among them is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he told reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages millions of workers and is a significant contributor to export earnings for the nation.
