Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims a Minimum of 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have died after a enormous fire erupted at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the fatality count could increase.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned beyond recognition, the fire department said.
Distraught relatives converged outside the multi-story factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in seeking their loved ones still unaccounted for.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was extinguished after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse continued to burn, emergency services confirmed.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, media reports said.
Fire service officials have not determined which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also emits toxic fumes when ignited.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, emergency services head the fire service official informed journalists.
An probe on whether the warehouse was running according to regulations is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them clutching photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my daughter back," he told news media.
The tragic incident has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs countless of workers and is a major contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.
