Deadly Garment Factory Fire in the South Asian nation Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 people have died after a huge fire broke out at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the death toll could increase.
Sixteen bodies have been found but were charred unrecognizable, the fire department said.
Distraught relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their dear ones still unaccounted for.
The fire, which broke out at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after several hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, officials said.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) that day, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been completely doused, journalistic accounts reported.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Per witnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic materials and hydrogen peroxide, all of which can worsen fires. Plastic also produces poisonous gases when combusted.
Security personnel are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief the fire service official briefed reporters.
An probe on whether the warehouse was functioning with proper authorization is also in progress, he mentioned.
Weeping family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their missing relatives.
Present at the scene is a man searching desperately for his daughter, Farzana Akhter.
"When I heard about the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my loved one back," he stated to reporters.
The devastating event has another time underscored the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial contributor to foreign revenue for the nation.
