Devastating Garment Factory Blaze in Bangladesh Has Taken at Least 16 Fatalities
At least 16 persons have lost their lives after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with emergency services cautioning that the death toll could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been recovered but were burned unrecognizable, the fire service stated.
Distraught relatives gathered outside the four-level factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in looking for their dear ones still missing.
The blaze, which started at the factory around midday, was put out after three hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse kept burning, authorities said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not established which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse housed industrial bleaches, plastic materials and chemical peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases hazardous smoke when ignited.
Police and military officers are still attempting to find the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the department director told reporters.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also ongoing, he added.
Tearful family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I was informed of the fire, I rushed here. But I still cannot locate her... I just want my loved one back," he told journalists.
The devastating event has once again emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's clothing sector, which employs numerous of workers and is a crucial provider of foreign revenue for the nation.
