Devastating Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Fatalities
A minimum of 16 individuals have died after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with authorities warning that the number of victims could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated unrecognizable, the fire department stated.
Grief-stricken relatives converged outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on Tuesday in seeking their loved ones still missing.
The blaze, which broke out at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse remained ablaze, emergency services reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been entirely put out, news sources indicated.
Fire service officials have not ascertained which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Per bystanders, the chemical warehouse contained industrial bleaches, plastic and industrial peroxide, all of which can intensify fires. Polymer products also releases poisonous gases when ignited.
Police and military officers are still searching for the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire department chief Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.
An investigation on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also currently underway, he mentioned.
Weeping family members waited outside the burned buildings, many of them grasping photographs of their unaccounted for relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man searching desperately for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I hurried to the scene. But I still have been unable to find her... I just want my child back," he told journalists.
The devastating event has once again highlighted the security issues affecting Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages numerous of workers and is a crucial provider of economic income for the South Asian economy.