Tragic Clothing Factory Inferno in Bangladesh Has Taken a Minimum of 16 Victims
No fewer than 16 persons have perished after a enormous fire erupted at a garment factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the number of victims could climb.
A total of sixteen bodies have been retrieved but were incinerated impossible to identify, the fire department reported.
Heartbroken relatives assembled outside the four-storey factory in Mirpur, Dhaka on that day in search of their dear ones still not found.
The blaze, which started at the factory around midday, was brought under control after three hours. But an nearby chemical warehouse kept burning, officials said.
Up until 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Tuesday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, media reports indicated.
Fire service officials have not established which of the two buildings ignited initially.
Based on eyewitnesses, the chemical warehouse stored bleaching powder, plastic and chemical peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also produces hazardous smoke when burned.
Law enforcement and armed forces are still attempting to find the proprietors of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed the media.
An probe 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 missing relatives.
Included in the crowd is a man looking frantically for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I rushed here. But I still haven't found her... I just want my child back," he told journalists.
The devastating event has another time underscored the security issues plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a major source of foreign revenue for the nation.
