Deadly Apparel Factory Blaze in the South Asian nation Claims at Least 16 Lives
A minimum of 16 persons have died after a enormous fire started at a clothing factory in Bangladesh, with officials warning that the fatality count could increase.
16 bodies have been retrieved but were burned beyond recognition, the fire service said.
Distraught relatives converged outside the four-level factory in Dhaka's Mirpur area on Tuesday in looking for their loved ones still missing.
The fire, which erupted at the factory around lunchtime, was put out after several hours. But an neighboring chemical warehouse continued to burn, authorities reported.
As late as 21:00 local time (15:00 GMT) yesterday, the fire at the chemical warehouse had not been fully extinguished, news sources indicated.
Fire department authorities have not determined which of the two buildings was the origin point.
Based on bystanders, the chemical warehouse housed bleaching powder, plastic materials and industrial peroxide, all of which can accelerate fires. Plastic also releases poisonous gases when ignited.
Security personnel are still searching for the owners of the factory and the warehouse, fire service director the fire service official briefed the media.
An inquiry on whether the warehouse was operating legally is also ongoing, he added.
Crying family members gathered outside the charred buildings, many of them holding photographs of their missing relatives.
Among them is a man seeking urgently for his daughter, his family member.
"When I learned of the fire, I came running. But I still haven't found her... I just want my daughter back," he expressed to reporters.
The catastrophic occurrence has yet again emphasized the hazardous conditions plaguing Bangladesh's apparel manufacturing, which engages countless of workers and is a crucial source of economic income for the country.
