Deadly Apparel Factory Fire in Bangladesh Claims no Fewer than 16 Fatalities
At least 16 persons have perished after a huge fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials stating that the number of victims could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still missing.
The fire, which started at the factory around midday, was extinguished after several hours. But an adjacent chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities said.
Until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources said.
Fire department authorities have not ascertained which of the two buildings caught fire first.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, synthetic polymers and industrial peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also releases hazardous smoke when combusted.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury briefed the media.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also currently underway, he noted.
Crying family members stood outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his loved one.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he told reporters.
The devastating event has once again underscored the safety concerns facing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the nation.
