Devastating Apparel Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Fatalities
No fewer than 16 individuals have lost their lives after a huge fire broke out at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services stating that the fatality count could increase.
16 bodies have been recovered but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in the Mirpur district of Dhaka on that day in looking for their dear ones still not found.
The blaze, which erupted at the factory around noon, was brought under control after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, news sources indicated.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse contained chemical bleaching agents, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Polymer products also produces hazardous smoke when combusted.
Police and military officers are still trying to locate the operators of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official informed journalists.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he added.
Tearful family members stood outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their lost relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to journalists.
The devastating event has yet again underscored the hazardous conditions facing Bangladesh's garment industry, which provides jobs for countless of workers and is a crucial source of foreign revenue for the South Asian economy.
